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Sub-nanograin metal based high efficiency multilayer reflective optics for high energies
Arindam Majhi1,2, Maheswar Nayak1,2, Paresh Chandra Pradhan3
1Synchrotrons Utilization Section, Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology Indore 452013 India mnayak@rrcat.gov.in.
RSC Advances
|April 28, 2022
Summary
Researchers developed high-efficiency tungsten/boron carbide multilayer optics by controlling metal layer microstructure. This technique creates sharp interfaces and high reflectivity for advanced optical applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Optics Physics
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Developing advanced multilayer optics requires precise control over interface formation.
- Tungsten/Boron Carbide (W/B4C) multilayers are crucial for high-performance optics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the physics of interface formation in metal-based heterostructures near the continuous limit.
- To develop high-efficiency W/B4C multilayer optics with tailored microstructures.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of W/B4C multilayer optics with varying periodicity (d = 1.86-1.23 nm) and a fixed number of layer pairs (N = 400).
- Tailoring metal layer microstructure near the onset of grain growth to achieve sub-nanometer grain sizes.
- Characterization of interface quality, optical contrast, and stress properties.
Main Results:
- Achieved atomically sharp interfaces and high optical contrast by controlling grain growth.
- Demonstrated significantly high reflectivity for W/B4C multilayer optics in the 10-20 keV energy range.
- Identified quasi-continuous layers at d = 1.23 nm, impacting reflectivity.
Conclusions:
- The developed method enables the creation of high-efficiency W/B4C multilayer optics with desirable properties.
- Tailoring microstructure is key to optimizing interface quality and optical performance.
- Reflectivity predictions for soft gamma-rays were made based on experimental findings.
