Monochromators used in neutron or x-ray experiments often have higher-order contributions, which have to be reduced by fiiters. Multilayer monochromators produced by de-magnetron sputtering, with intentionally blurred interfaces, have reduced these higher-order contributions. The approach is to substitute the bilayer structure by several layers with individual thicknesses per period. A Ni/Ti monochromator was prepared where higher-order contributions were reduced below 0.1% of the first-order reflectivity of 93% (measured up to the seventh order). In order to determine the lifetime of such a structure, the interdiffusion of the constituents was measured with thermal annealing (interface diffusion activation energy: 0.16(1) eV).
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