Soft-x-ray polarimeter with multilayer optics: complete analysis of the polarization state of light

The design of a versatile high-precision eight-axis ultrahigh-vacuum-compat ible polarimeter is presented. This multipurpose instrument can be used as a self-calibrating polarization detector for linearly and circularly polari zed UV and soft-x-ray Light. It can also be used for the characterization o f reflection or transmission properties (reflectometer) or polarizing and p hase-retarding properties (ellipsometer) of any optical element. The polari zation properties of Mo/Si, Cr/C, Cr/Sc, and Ni/Ti multilayers used in this polarimeter as polarizers in transmission and as analyzers in reflection h ave been investigated theoretically and experimentally. In the soft-x-ray r ange, close to the 2p edges of Sc, Ti, and Or, resonantly enhanced phase re tardation of the transmission polarizers of as much as 18 degrees has been measured. With these newly developed optical elements the complete polariza tion analysis of soft-x-ray synchrotron radiation can be extended to the wa ter-window range from 300 to 600 eV. (C) 1999 Optical Society of America.