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The local surface oxidation of the permalloy surface layer in Py/Cu GMR multilayers on a micron lateral scale has been analyzed by means of a microspot-X-ray absorption spectromicroscope utilizing synchrotron radiation from the Advanced Light Source bending magnet beamline 6.3.2. Additionally, the GMR multilayer samples prepared by dc magnetron sputtering have been analyzed by cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy, hard X-ray reflection and magnetoresistance measurements. The formation of a passivating iron-oxide layer on the sample surface was identified by X-ray absorption near edge structure spectroscopy (XANES) near the Fe-2p edge while no indication for nickel-oxide formation could be found. Small micron-size pits of reduced iron-oxide concentration could be identified by XANES microscopy while the corresponding nickel distribution appeared to be homogeneous. The results are explained in terms of a local breakdown of the passivating oxide layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract. Our aim was to produce EUV multilayer mirrors with a small spectral bandwidth change E less than or equal to 3 eV at 70 eV peak energy using UHV electron beam evaporation by varying the thickness ratio (GAMMA = d[sub Abs/d[sub Sp] + d[sub Abs]) between the absorber layer and the bilayer. The deposition process was controlled by in situ soft X-ray reflectometry, and ion-beam polishing as well as substrate-heating methods were applied to reduce the interlace roughness. The reflection properties of the Mo-Si multilayer mirrors prepared were characterized by hard and soft X-ray reflectometry and details of the multilayer structure were revealed from cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]