Structural and Thermal Stability of B4C/Ru Multilayers with Carbon Barrier Layers

TL;DR

This study investigates the chemical interactions and thermal stability of B4C/Ru multilayers, demonstrating that carbon barrier layers significantly suppress ruthenium boride formation and enhance thermal stability for optical applications.

Contribution

It introduces the use of carbon barrier layers at the Ru-on-B4C interface to improve stability and suppress undesirable reactions in multilayer structures.

Findings

Carbon barriers suppress ruthenium boride formation.

Introduction of barriers increases thermal stability.

Enhanced suitability for optical systems in radiation environments.

Abstract

The chemical interaction between Mo and Ru layers in multilayer structures depending on the thickness ratio ($\Gamma$) was carried out using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray reflectometry (XRR). The results showed significant interaction of materials inside multilayer structures with the formation of ruthenium borides, with an increase in the B4C layer thickness (a decrease in the $\Gamma$ parameter) leading to the formation of ruthenium borides of different stoichiometry. The introduction of a carbon barrier layer at the Ru-on-B4C interface resulted in significant suppression of ruthenium boride formation. The thermal stability of the B4C/Ru system was also studied upon annealing at 400$^{\circ}$C for 1 hour before and after the introduction of the carbon barrier layer. It was shown that the introduction of a carbon barrier layer at the Ru-on-B4C interface increases the thermal stability of the system, which makes this system more suitable for use in optical systems exposed to long-term radiation. The obtained results are important for the development of highly efficient multilayer mirrors used in EUV lithography and X-ray optics.