Structural measurements of amorphous silicon multilayers by the atomic force microscopy

Atomic force microscopy is applied for investigation of amorphous silicon a nd zirconium oxide insulator (a-Si/ZrOx) or amorphous germanium (a-Si/a-Ge) multilayer nanostructures (MNS) prepared by electron beam evaporation. Per iodicity of a-Si/ZrOx MNS has been confirmed by Auger-spectroscopy. The etc hing wedge profile of a-Si/ZrOx MNS shows a series of terraces and steps wh ose number corresponds to the number of periods of the MNS. The MNS period determined by this method agree with that obtained by small angle X-ray dif fraction. At the cross-section of a-Si/a-Ge MNS the a-Si and a-Ge single-la yers are resolved.