The calculated and experimental vertical ZrO2–Y2O3 sections of the Zr–Y–O system are compared to find the region of a stable fluorite structure of yttrium-stabilized zirconia (YSZ). X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman scattering are used to study the crystal and local structures of mixed oxide 0.82ZrO2 · 0.18Y2O3 (18YSZ) powders prepared by isothermal annealing of a precursor precipitated from a salt solution. The formation of a fluorite-type fcc structure (space group \(Fm\overline 3 m\)) in the powders is detected by XRD. Raman scattering study of the local structure of the cubic 18YSZ powders revealed traces of the tetragonal phase in them.

At present special importance attaches monitoring methods to measure the parameters of film structures directly during their formation — in situ methods. Application of these methods helps to ensure a film with desired characteristics, allowing quickly adjust process conditions. The paper describes the possibilities of the in situ X -ray reflectivity to determine the parameters of nanoscale films in real time of their formation. Experimental results on the magnetron deposition of nanoscale Si films and other materials on silicon substrates are presented.

The epitaxial growth of tellurium films by chemical vapor deposition is investigated. It is established that, under thermochemical activation conditions, tellurium films grow from vapor phase in the (10 \(\bar 1\)0) plane, parallel to the (001) muscovite substrate and the (0001) sapphire substrate. It is demonstrated that tellurium films on (001) muscovite substrates are more homogeneous and can be detached from the substrate, which makes them interesting for carrying out experiments on epitaxy of CdTe films. Tellurium films on sapphire are more heterogeneous and mosaic; however, their growth is accompanied by the formation of hexagonal tellurium microtubes with a high aspect ratio: a diameter of ~1–10 μm and a length of ~1–10 mm.

The monitoring methods for measuring the film structure parameters in formation process, namely, the in situ methods, are currently of special significance. Their application provides obtaining the films with the given characteristics, which results in a fast correction of the technological modes. The possibilities of the in situ method of the X-ray reflectometry for defining the parameters of the nanodimensional films during their formation are discussed. The results are given of testing the magnetron deposition of the silicon films and other materials on the silicon substrate.

For modelling thermodynamic properties of the Fe-Cr alloys necessary to know the concentration dependences of the Debye temperature, the lattice parameter, the elastic moduli, the average magnetic moment, and the Curie temperature. The investigations are performed on iron alloys with chromium or vanadium in the concentration range 2–8 at %. The lattice parameters of the alloys are determined by comparing them with a standard sample placed on the surface of the sample under study. As the standard, a silicon crystal is used, and its lattice parameter is measured by the high-precision Bond method. The Debye temperatures of the alloys are determined from the temperature dependences of the integrated X-ray diffraction line intensities. The specific magnetization is measured by the Faraday method to compare the magnetic properties of Fe-Cr and Fe-V alloys. The partial magnetic moment of the iron atom is shown to increase with the alloying-element concentration.

Nanostructures consisting of metal nanogratings made of Au on quartz substrates are produced. The structural characteristics of samples are studied using atomic force and scanning electron microscopies (AFM and SEM). The optical properties of samples in the visible spectral region are also studied. The studies show that these nanostructures are characterized by a high degree of periodicity and the nanowire profile shape is close to the rectangular one. Effective excitation of surface plasmon-polariton waves is observed in nanogratings; in this case the effectiveness of their excitation depends considerably on the polarization of exciting radiation and on the grating filling factor. It is established that various types of plasmon-polariton waves (local or traveling waves) can be excited depending on the grating filling factor. Optical effects observed in the given structures can be used to produce high-speed sensor and optoelectronic elements based on them, such as highly sensitive new-generation biosensors, optical filters, polarizers, and modulators.

Nanogratings formed by parallel gold nanowires on a quartz substrate have been fabricated. Their transmission and reflection spectra have been studied experimentally. Numerical simulation of the transmission (reflection) spectra has been performed. The simulated spectra agree well with the experimental ones. A package has been proposed, which combines the experimental techniques of the structure fabrication and theoretical methods for calculating the parameters of optical spectra. This package is a promising tool for designing and fabricating optoelectronic devices such as filters, polarizers, and switches.

X-ray reflectivity measurements are used to characterize Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) superlattice composed of different numbers of elementary units. The elementary unit of this superlattice consists of four monolayers of the stearic acid residue which are organized in two different bilayers. One of such bilayers contains yttrium ion in between two stearic residues, and the next one contains lead ion with the same surrounding. The rather large difference between the number of electrons for these metal ions (39 and 82) reveals a sufficient X-ray contrast to receive rather strong Bragg peaks. Positions of these peaks correspond to the tetralayer unit cell (similar to100 Angstrom length). For such tetralayer LB superlattices the electron density distribution, namely for one, four and ten unit cells, were calculated. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Multilayer Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) films with X-ray contrast in between the neighbouring bilayers is proposed as an object for the investigation of the interlayer diffusion. Yttrium and lead stearates are chosen to form such kind of films. A double-section LB trough was used for deposition. X-ray reflectivity measurements are used to examine the formatted LB films. X-ray reflectivity data have verified that highly ordered LB films with alternating of yttrium stearate and lead stearate bilayers are obtained. Sharp Bragg peaks occur up to 11th order. Size of the corresponding one-dimensional elementary unit cell is about 100 Å (yttrium stearate bilayer+lead stearate bilayer). A system of well-defined Kiessig fringes between the Bragg peaks is also observed. From the positions of the Kiessig fringes, the thickness of the films (from 200 to 1000 Å) was calculated. These values absolutely correspond to the number of the deposition cycles multiplied on the monolayer thickness.

At present the most widespread multilayer structures are those, in which low absorbing layers from light elements (from carbon, in particular) alternate with strong absorbing layers from heavy metals. Recently it became possible to manufacture x-ray multilayer mirrors containing only low absorbing carbon layers with different values of densities and, consequently, dielectric constants. The properties of these carbon/carbon multilayers were experimentally investigated at BESSY in the energy range of 50 - 2000 eV. Such multilayers promise to combine high reflectivity and high resolution.

The characteristics of a RAP crystal (RbHC8H4O4), metal–carbon multilayer X-ray mirror and diamond-like carbon (DLC) X-ray mirror are compared. The advantages of DLC mirrors in resolution power are described. Temperature and radiation on the reflectivity and bandwidth of Bragg peak for diamond-like mirrors are studied. It is shown that the parameters of DLC mirrors after annealing in vacuum are stable up to 570°C.

The characteristics of X-hay diamond-like mirrors and Me-C mirrors were compared. The effect of influence temperature and radiation on reflectivity and the bandwidth of Bragg peaks were investigated. Temperature stability in the range up to 400 C was studied, The valuation of the radiative stability of mirrors was evaluated.

The possibility to use multilayer structures based entirely on carbon films as reflecting coatings for S-ray optics elements is analyzed. The structures grown by plasma deposition technique contained up to 100 superthin supersmooth layers. It is shown that the X-ray interference can be observed in such structures.Parameters of multilayer structures consisting of superthin carbon layers were calculated fur various wavelengths in the soft X-ray range. It is shown that the reflection coefficient of such structures is comparable to that of traditional Me/Me, Me/Si, and Me/C X-ray mirrors but the resolution is greater by a factor of 2-3. Samples of X-ray mirrors were made and their characteristics measured. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.

We demonstrate the possibility of determining a large group of physical properties of DLC films using only one group of methods based on X-ray interference studies. These include methods the determination of the film thickness, material density and roughness of the surface. We present the analysis of possibilities to use the method of the two-crystal X-ray spectrometer to evaluate internal stress and to deduce the modules of elasticity and thermal expansion coefficients of the film. It is shown that this method can be used for the in-situ control of the film parameters during the film deposition in the technological chamber.

A new type of x-ray interference mirrors using hydrogenated carbon films of various densities is described. The reflection coefficient and resolution of multilayer carbon structures obtained in the soft x-ray range (1.54–44.7 Å) are investigated experimentally and theoretically. As is shown, hydrogenated carbon films can be used to create mirrors with high resolution.