Thermal stability of Mo/SiO2 multilayers

The thermal stability of magnetron sputtering deposited Mo/SiO2 multilayere d films was investigated by isothermal annealing, cross-sectional high reso lution electron microscopy and Auger electron spectroscopy. No observable s tructural variation was visualized at the interface between Mo and SiO2 aft er annealing at 400 degreesC for 2 h. At 600 degreesC, a small amount of as -deposited amorphous Mo began to crystallize at the top surface of the samp le. Further increase in the annealing temperature resulted in the formation of large Mo crystalline grains in the film and destruction of the periodic ally distributed Mo/SiO2 multilayer structure. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B. V. All rights reserved.