Nonspecular x-ray scattering from the amorphous state in W/C multilayers

The nonspecular x-ray scattering distribution from an amorphous W/C multilayer structure has been examined close to low order Bragg reflections. The scattering distribution is explained as coherent atomic scattering from amorphous W and C layers having a periodicity in growth direction. This layer periodicity results in scattering intensity streaks in reciprocal space perpendicular to the one-dimensional order. In addition, sharp intensity modulations appear, whenever the incident or exit angle equals the first order Bragg angle of the multilayer. They can be understood in terms of a dynamical interaction between the x-ray standing wave and the atomic scattering in the layers.