Structural properties of MgF2 and ZnS in thin film and in multilayer optical coatings

Different techniques of x-ray diffraction line profile analysis have been used to study the microstructural parameters of the MgF2 and ZnS thin films as well as MgF/ZnS multilayers. The crystallite size and microstrain of the samples have been estimated from x-ray diffraction by applying Scherrer, Scherrer-Wilson and Williamson-Hall formulae respectively. The effects of thermal annealing at different temperatures on the structure in the material in thin films and in multilayers are studied and compared by the three mentioned relations. Although some different values have been obtained from each expression, the same temperature tendency is observed.