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Ni(25 nm)/Cu(25 nm)/Cr(25 nm) thin films were deposited by DC magnetron sputtering at room temperature onto Si(100) single-crystal substrates and irradiated by low-energy Ar+ ions in the energy range of 400 - 2000 eV with fluences of 1.41016 - 1.11017 ion/cm2. Influence of the ion bombardment on the structural properties, surface morphology and chemical composition was investigated using XRD, AFM, SEM, AES, XPS, SIMS and SNMS techniques. It was found that the low-energy ion bombardment does not lead to phase composition modifications, but causes reduction of Ni layer crystallites size. Optimal bombardment mode (energy 800 eV, fluence 5.61016 ion/cm2), providing reduction of impurities amount in all three layers of the stack without diffusion intermixing between main components, was determined. Calculated coefficients of internal layers passivation are in good agreement with found increase of Cr and Cu layers thicknesses due to the reduction processes. New model of reduction processes taking into account the long-range effect was proposed.

Single-shot imaging using femtosecond x-ray pulses from x-ray free electron lasers (XFELs) has revealed high-resolution structures of Au nanoparticles and biological macromolecular complexes. The x-ray pulse power of 10 GW is enough to vaporize specimen when it is focused on a few microns area. This makes it essential to have a single particle loader to provide fresh samples to the x-ray pulses. In this paper we introduce single-shot imaging at Spring-8 Angstrom Compact Free Electron Laser (SACLA) to investigate various types of specimen, from metallic nanoparticles to biological macromolecules, prepared on Si3N4 membrane. A significant reduction in sample consumption is achieved while maintaining a data acquisition rate of 30 Hz, which is compatible with the current SACLA operation rate.