STUDY OF INTERFACES IN CO CU MULTILAYERS BY LOW-ANGLE ANOMALOUS X-RAY-DIFFRACTION/

The innovative method of combining specular and off-specular low-angle x-ray diffraction, along with the anomalous scattering effect, has be en used to characterize magnetron-sputtered Co/Cu multilayers. The ano malous dispersion of Co is employed to increase the electron density c ontrast between the cobalt and copper layer. The use of a simulation p rogram has been proven to be a straightforward and reliable method to analyze x-ray low-angle diffraction patterns in such a nonperfectly or dered metallic multilayer system. This method has been successfully ap plied to data obtained from synchrotron experiments and the results co mpared with those performed using a standard laboratory diffractometer . The combination of both specular and off-specular scans has ensured the obtention of a single set of simulation parameters for the structu re of the multilayer and its interfaces. In addition, the off-specular scans have permitted us to confirm, in a rather complex system, the v alidity of the distorted wave born approximation. The mesoscopic struc ture of this multilayered system has been accurately and self-consiste ntly characterized. (C) 1998 American Institute Of Physics. [S0021-897 9(98)00816-0]