The Role of 11 B 4 C Interlayers in Enhancing Fe/Si Multilayer Performance for Polarized Neutron Mirrors

作者：Anton Zubayer, Fredrik Eriksson, Martin Falk, Marcus Lorentzon, Justinas Pališaitis, Christine Klauser, Gyula Nagy, Philipp M. Wolf, Eduardo Pitthan, Radek Holeňák, Daniel Primetzhofer, Gavin B. G. Stenning, Artur Glavic, Jochen Stahn, Samira Dorri, Per Eklund, Jens Birch, Naureen Ghafoor · 发表于：The Journal of Physical Chemistry C · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.1021/acs.jpcc.5c00068 · 被引用次数：3 · 研究领域：Nuclear Physics and Applications、Superconducting Materials and Applications、Magnetic confinement fusion research

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide This study investigates the effects of incorporating 11 B 4 C interlayers into Fe/Si multilayers, with a focus on interface quality, reflectivity, polarization, and magnetic properties for polarizing neutron optics. It is found that the introduction of 1–2 Å 11 B 4 C interlayers significantly improves the interface sharpness, reducing interface width and preventing excessive Si diffusion into the Fe layers. X-ray reflectivity and polarized neutron reflectivity measurements show enhanced reflectivity and polarization, with a notable increase in polarization for 30 Å period multilayers. The inclusion of interlayers also helps prevent the formation of iron-silicides, improving both the magnetic properties and neutron optical performance. However, the impact of interlayers is less pronounced in thicker-period multilayers (100 Å), primarily due to the ratio between layer and interface widths. These results suggest that 11 B 4 C interlayers offer a promising route for optimizing Fe/Si multilayer performance in polarizing neutron mirrors.