Effect of surface roughness on multilayer film growth

NbC/Si multilayers grown on silicon substrates of different roughness have been used to study the influence of surface quality on growth characteristics. Surface morphology of substrate and multilayer film are characterized by topographic measurements using atomic force microscopy (AFM) technique and power spectral density analysis (PSD). Grazing incidence x-ray reflectivity (GIXR) technique in combination with PSD analysis reveals a growth characteristic of multilayer film on substrates of different roughness. It is revealed that the stochastic growth of NbC on rough substrate leads to formation of clusters of varying size depending on initial substrate roughness. Details of growth characteristic are discussed.