Preliminary synchrotron radiation characterization of first multilayer mirrors for the soft X-ray water window

The development of high-reflectivity devices for soft X-rays at quasi-normal incidence is a challenging research for the development of synchrotron radiation optics, particularly for soft X-ray microscopy and X-ray microprobe spectroscopy. Here we present data concerning the deposition of the first Ni/Ti and Ni/TiO2 multilayers grown at the INFN Legnaro Laboratories (LNL). These multilayers have a lattice spacing in the order of 14 Å and more than 100 of bilayers. Experimental tests on these multilayers have been performed by a vacuum compatible θ–2θ reflectometer, set up at the INFN Frascati Laboratories (LNF), where their characterization has been accomplished by means of synchrotron radiation.