FLNP seminar

04-29-2025 11:00 Conference hall (bldg. 42, 3rd floor)

"Multilayer mirrors for X-ray and neutron applications"

V.N. Polkovnikov (Institute for Physics of Microstructures RAS, Nizhny Novgorod)

The report will briefly describe the features of the interaction of X-ray radiation with matter and, based on this review, present the basic physical principles underlying the operation of multilayer X-ray mirrors, which cover the wavelength range from λ=60 nm to λ<0.01 nm (from vacuum ultraviolet to hard X-ray region of the spectrum). The influence of various kinds of film defects on the reflectivity of multilayer mirrors will be discussed and corresponding examples will be given.

The next part of the report will be devoted to the method of synthesis of multilayer mirrors and the techniques used to obtain the required period distribution over the mirror surface. Then I will talk about the main methods of diagnostics of the microstructure of films and interfaces used in the physics and technology of multilayer X-ray mirrors. Considerable attention will be paid to the technology of “interface and layer engineering”. The potential of two different methods will be demonstrated using the latest achievements in the field of Cr/Sc for the “water transparency window” and Ru/Be multilayer mirrors for EUV lithography as an example.

The final part of the report will be devoted to the applications of multilayer mirrors, as well as multilayer free-standing structures, in science, engineering and technology. A special place in this part of the report will be given to the discussion of the advantages and prospects for the development of lithography at a wavelength of 11.2 nm, as well as the prospects for using our developments for the manufacture of neutron optics elements.