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The development of new high power EUV sources and EUV space imaging requires optics having specific
properties which depend on applications and operating conditions. These both applications are very different in the
working multilayers environment. For the high power sources, multilayers are submitted to short pulses with high
energy peak whereas, for the space imaging, multilayers are submitted to continuous flux with low level. Moreover
photon energy and environment for both applications may be different. The environment may affect structure and top
layer contamination when optics are stored, handled, mounted on the final device and finally operating. Main
environmental parameters investigated are temperature and humidity variation.
One objective is the optimisation of multilayer coatings to offer the highest resistance under photonic, ionic
fluxes and temperature cycle. This means that interfacial diffusion between thin layers and degradation of the capping
layers have to be avoided or reduced. The present study relies with designing, depositing and testing different structures
of multilayer coatings in order to minimise the influence of the environment.
Multilayer coatings based on molybdenum, silicon and silicon carbide materials have been deposited by magnetron
sputtering on silicon and zerodur substrates. Samples were submitted to radiations emitted by an EUV source at
wavelength closed to 13.5 nm. Furthermore they were also submitted to thermal cycles and annealing under warm
humidity in the aim to simulate extremes storage or handling conditions as space mission's conditions.
The damages and the performance of the multilayers were evaluated by using grazing incidence reflectometry
at 0.154 nm and EUV reflectometry at the operating wavelength.
After a presentation of the multilayer design, deposition and metrology tools, we will describe the different
environmental effects on the coatings to take in care during EUV source exposure, handling and storage conditions.
First results on multilayers performances to EUV source exposure and space specification tests are presented. Main
damages studies were on annealing, thermal cycling and warm humidity.
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