Improving the EUV reflectivity of Mg/SiC multilayers by inserting Zr barrier layers at the SiC-on-Mg interfaces

In Mg/SiC multilayer deposition, the SiC-on-Mg interfaces were found to be much more diffused than the Mg-on-SiC interfaces. By inserting Zr barrier layers at the SiC-on-Mg interfaces, the diffusion at interface can be suppressed. The Mg/SiC multilayers were deposited by magnetron sputtering method, and were characterized by X-ray reflectometry and reflectometer of National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory of China, respectively. Results show that 0.5-nm-thick Zr barrier layers can dramatically reduce the interdiffusion at the SiC-on-Mg interfaces.