Nanoscale multilayers have microstructural and compositional properties whi
ch may differ widely from those of bulk materials. Such changes were invest
igated by EELS in the analytical TEM for different binary multilayer system
s. Nanoscale Co/Cu multilayers showed a chemical mixing depending on the pr
eparation technique. A trend to demixing was observed at annealing. The fin
e structure of the O-K edge on nanoscale Fe/Al layers enables the localized
distinction between, O bonding at Fe and Al. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V
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