Mo/Si multilayers with different barrier layers for applications as extreme ultraviolet mirrors

Pulsed laser deposition (PLD) and magnetron sputter deposition (MSD) have been used to prepare different types of Mo/Si multilayers for the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) spectral range. In the case of PLD prepared Mo/Si multilayers the deposition of 0.3-0.5 nm thick carbon barrier layers at the interfaces leads to a substantial improvement of the interface quality, This can be deduced from Cu-Kalpha reflectivity measurements and HRTEM observations. Consequently the EUV reflectivity has been substantially increased. For pure Mo/Si-multilayers prepared by MSD the deposition parameters hake been optimized so that a normal incidence reflectivity of R-EUV = 68.7% could be realized. Although this is one of the best experimental results achieved so far, there is still a gap between this experimental value and the theoretical limit (R-EUV = 75.5%). One of the main reasons for this discrepancy is the formation of intermixing zones at the interfaces. With B4C and C barrier layers at the interface,, interdiffusion can be reduced. The resulting EUV reflectivity of this new type of EUV multilayers is 69.8% (lambda = 13,42 nm, alpha = 1.5degrees) and 71.4% (lambda = 12.52 nm, alpha = 22.5degrees).