Extreme ultraviolet reflectance degradation of aluminum and silicon from surface oxidation.

We have performed in situ oxide contamination and XUV reflectance vs angle of incidence studies on fresh aluminum and silicon films evaporated in an ultrahigh vacuum system (base pressure 2 x 10(-10)Torr). Our ellipsometric measurements indicate that a surface monolayer of oxide forms on aluminum (1 h at 2 x10(-8) Torr oxygen) and silicon (1 h at 10-(7) -Torr oxygen). The monolayer formation time is inversely proportional to oxygen pressure. Our reflectance vs angle of incidence measurements at 58.4-nm wavelength indicate that unoxidized aluminum and silicon coatings can be used as multifacet retroreflectors with net retroreflectances in excess of 75% for aluminum and 50% for silicon.