AbstractUnderstanding of the stress in thin films is important in controls of the properties of nanometer period x-ray multilayers. Stress evolution at the initial stages of thin film formation was studied by molecular dynamics simulation of Mo atoms impinging on a 5×5×5 unit cell Mo substrate. The simulation shows that the structure initially increases in a compressive state. The stress then decreases when the deposited atoms have covered the substrate surface. Measured stress of Ru films in Ru/C multilayers by laser curvature technique shows similar behavior to the simulated results.
