INTERLAYER MICROSTRUCTURE OF SPUTTERED MO SI MULTILAYERS/

K-edge transmission-mode extended x-ray absorption fine structure, tra nsmission electron microscopy, and x-ray diffraction have been used to investigate the microstructure of Mo/Si multilayers with periods rang ing from 20 to 2.0 nm (the layer thickness ratios of Mo to Si were 1:2 ). The results confirmed that there was a Mo-Si amorphous interlayer b etween the Mo and Si layers, the Mo-Si coordination was about 80% in t he first shell neighbouring the Mo atom in the interlayer, and the tot al coordination number was 7.4, approximately equal to that of bce Mo. A thermally activated model is suggested as a basis for explaining th e interlayer formation mechanism by considering the different thermal conductivities of the deposited Mo and the amorphous Si surfaces.