Mirror stability is crucial for their applications, especially in the far ultraviolet (FUV) where Al mirrors protected with fluoride are the preferred choice. This study evaluates the effect of storage conditions on the performance of Al/LiF/MgF2 mirrors and compares them with previous investigations of Al/LiF/eMgF2 mirrors. This study focuses on FUV reflectivity, structural characteristics, and the long-term stability of mirrors stored in various environments. Coatings were deposited on the super-polished silicon wafers using thermal evaporation. Three sets of mirrors were stored in the environment with 20% relative humidity (RH), 40% RH, and 80% RH, respectively. Additionally, three other sets were stored in vacuum, nitrogen (N2), and oxygen (O2), respectively, in sealed bags kept in a 40% RH environment. Mirrors stored in a 20% RH environment demonstrated the best performance, exhibiting the smallest decline in reflectivity and a relatively stable surface morphology. Conversely, mirrors stored in 80% RH experienced a significant reduction in reflectivity, accompanied by the most pronounced deterioration in surface morphology. It was concluded that the chemical changes and high roughness of the films contributed to the decrease in the reflectivity.
A laboratory-based reflectometer designed for characterizing the reflectivity of optical coatings in 30- to 200-nm wavelength range was recently developed at IPOE. An RF-produced gas-discharge light source is applied to generate characteristic lines. The light source is mounted on a grazing incident monochromator with a 146-deg deviation angle between the incident and diffracted arms. By precisely adjusting the toroidal grating inside the monochromator chamber, monochromatic lights are acquired through the exit slit. A collimator mirror and two sets of collimation slits with 2 mm × 2 mm dimension are utilized for reducing the divergence of the beam incident on the sample. A high-precision six-axis translation stage, which allows a heavy sample with a maximum diameter of 100 mm, is used to control positions of the samples and the detector. A chopper disk used both for incident light intensity monitor and signal modulation is placed with an incidence angle of 70 deg relative to the incident light beam. The configuration, adjustment process, and test results of the reflectometer are presented in detail. The experimental reflectivity results for Al / LiF / MgF2 film obtained from our laboratory and BESSY-II Synchrotron as well as Hefei Synchrotron Light Source are given and compared for demonstrating the reliability of the system.
The far ultraviolet (FUV) spectrum is critical for the observation of phenomena in space, among various other applications. Hence, the aim of our study was to investigate the effect of the humidity of Al mirrors coated with LiF and enhanced MgF2 within the FUV spectrum. The samples were first coated with Al and LiF films on a super-polished silicon wafer at room temperature, heated to 220°C, and then coated with an enhanced MgF2 film. All materials were deposited by thermal evaporation. The samples were stored in environments with 20% relative humidity (RH), 40% RH, 80% RH, and 90% RH. The reflectivity remained stable when the environment was 20% RH, which was the optimal storage environment. The reflectivity of the Al / LiF / eMgF2 mirrors stored in high RH decreased over time, the roughness increased over time. Furthermore, the decrease rate of reflectivity and increase rate of roughness decreased over time. The degradation of reflectivity can be attributed to the presence of oxygen in environments with a high RH.
The CAFE (Census of warm-hot intergalactic medium, Accretion, and Feedback Explorer) and LyRIC (Lyman UV Radiation from Interstellar medium and Circum-galactic medium) have been proposed to the space agencies in China respectively. CAFE was first proposed as a joint scientific CAS-ESA small space mission in 2015. LyRIC was proposed as the independent external payload operating on the Chinese Space Station (CSS) in 2019. Both missions are dedicated to mapping the Lyman UV emissions ( ionized oxygen (OVI) resonance lines at 103.2 and 103.8 nm, and Lyman series) for the diffuse sources either in our Galaxy or the circum-galactic mediums of the nearby galaxies. We present the primary science objectives, mission concepts, the enabling technologies, as well as the current status.
Aluminum mirrors with high reflectivity have a wide range of applications in the vacuum ultraviolet, such as for space observation, synchrotron radiation. Due to the oxidation of Al has great effect on the reflectivity below the wavelength of 160 nm, Al-protected mirrors have experienced significant development over the past years, particularly like Al overcoated with LiF, MgF2. This paper focuses on Al mirror over-coated with LiF, MgF2 and LiF+MgF2 in the wavelength range of 105-130 nm. The mirrors are prepared by three steps thermal boat evaporation method. The reflectivity of mirrors in the wavelength range of 105~130 nm is measuring at the National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory (NSRL) of China, and the structural properties have been analyzed using grazing incidence X-ray reflectometer. Compared the reflectivity of samples placed in the relative humidity of 40%, the reflectivity of Al + LiF mirrors has dropped significantly within 2 months, while the reflectivity of Al+MgF2 mirrors almost has no change within 30 months. The reflectivity of Al +LiF+MgF2 mirrors stored in the relative humidity of 40% performs well within 4 months and we will further study the time stability.
High reflectivity of mirrors is very important for many applications in the vacuum ultraviolet, such as for space observation, synchrotron radiation. This paper focuses on the substrate temperature’s effect on the performance of Al mirrors when depositing the upper MgF2 layer. Al films are deposited on the substrates at room temperature by thermal evaporation, and a 5 nm MgF2 film is deposited on Al coating at room temperature immediately. Heating the substrate to various temperatures ranging from room temperature to 350°, then a 20 nm MgF2 film is deposited on the surface of Al/MgF2. The thickness of each layer is characterized using grazing incidence x-ray reflectivity. The reflectivity of sample is measured at the incident angle of 5° in the wavelength range of 105~130 nm. The reflectivity of all samples fabricated at above room temperature is higher than the sample at room temperature below 115nm. The reflectivity of mirror at 350° temperature is lower than other mirrors, and the reflectivity of the samples at 300° and 200° is similar. There are more black dots on the surface of mirror at 350° than 300°, and no black dot on the surface of mirror at 200°. The measured results using surface profiler show that the black dots are small holes that increase the roughness of mirror and reduce the reflectivity. So the best temperature for depositing the upper MgF2 layer is in 200~300° to obtain high reflectivity of Al mirrors in vacuum ultraviolet.
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