Pasi Kostamo

Performance and Properties of Ultra-Thin Silicon Nitride X-ray Windows

The spectral transmittance of a new generation of SiN based X-ray windows is characterized. The windows are strengthened by low aspect-ratio support grid. As expected for this unprecedented thin window material, the transmittance in the soft X-ray spectral region outperforms the present technologies. A detailed study of the various performance properties of the fabricated SiN X-ray windows is presented. Besides their high transmittance, the windows also have high uniformity, high mechanical strength and good leak tightness. The windows can withstand temperatures from cryogenic range to approximately 250°C. SiN foils are the first real nanotechnology-based choice for the practical realization of X-ray windows and bring the performance to a level that only nanotechnology can offer.

Ultra-Thin Silicon Nitride X-Ray Windows

We have demonstrated the fabrication of ultra-thin Si fine grid supported silicon nitride X-ray windows. These X-ray windows exhibit unequaled transmission of soft X-rays, high strength and excellent thermal stability. Measured soft X-ray transmission performance is significantly enhanced compared to typical polymer or beryllium based X-ray window structures. A double sided grid structure is used to demonstrate the scaling of the technology to larger areas.

Influence of Substrate Bias on the Structural and Dielectric Properties of Magnetron-Sputtered BaxSr1-xTiO3 Thin Films

The application of a substrate bias during rf magnetron sputtering alters the crystalline structure, grain morphology, lattice strain and composition of BaxSr1-xTiO3 thin films. As a result, the dielectric properties of Pt/BaxSr1-xTiO3/Pt parallel-plate capacitors change significantly. With increasing substrate bias we observe a clear shift of the ferroelectric to paraelectric phase transition towards higher temperature, an increase of the dielectric permittivity and tunability at room temperature, and a deterioration of the dielectric loss. To a large extent these changes correlate to a gradual increase of the tensile in-plane film strain with substrate bias and an abrupt change in film composition.