Study of interfaces in Co/Cu multilayers by low-angle anomalous x-ray diffraction

The innovative method of combining specular and off-specular low-angle x-ray diffraction, along with the anomalous scattering effect, has been used to characterize magnetron-sputtered Co/Cu multilayers. The anomalous dispersion of Co is employed to increase the electron density contrast between the cobalt and copper layer. The use of a simulation program has been proven to be a straightforward and reliable method to analyze x-ray low-angle diffraction patterns in such a nonperfectly ordered metallic multilayer system. This method has been successfully applied to data obtained from synchrotron experiments and the results compared with those performed using a standard laboratory diffractometer. The combination of both specular and off-specular scans has ensured the obtention of a single set of simulation parameters for the structure of the multilayer and its interfaces. In addition, the off-specular scans have permitted us to confirm, in a rather complex system, the validity of the distorted wave born approximation. The mesoscopic structure of this multilayered system has been accurately and self-consistently characterized. © 1998 American Institute of Physics. @S0021-8979~98!00816-0#