SIC/Tb and Si/Tb multilayer coatings for extreme ultraviolet solar imaging

Narrowhand SiC/Tb and Si/Tb multilayers are fabricated with as much as a 23% normal-incidence reflectance near a 60 nm wavelength and spectral bandpass (FWHM) values of 9.4 and 6.5 nm, respectively. The structural properties of the films are investigated using extreme ultraviolet and x-ray reflectometry and transmission electron microscopy. Thermal stability is investigated in films annealed to as high as 300 degrees C. Because of their superior thermal stability, relatively high reflectance, and narrower spectral bandpass, Si/Tb multilayers are identified as optimal candidates for solar physics imaging applications, where the peak response can be tuned to important emission lines such as 0 v near 63.0 nm and Mg x near 61.0 nm. We describe our experimental procedures and results, discuss the implications of our findings, and outline prospects for improved performance. (c) 2006 Optical Society of America.