Experimentally obtained optical constants of the nickel near L-edge energy region show signatures of different excitations which are absent in the available databases. These excitations are explained using charge transfer effects and core-hole interactions in valence and core excited states.

Non-destructive interface characterization of boron carbide shows a significant change at 550°C in the interface region formed between an adhesive chromium layer and native oxide layer on silicon substrate, whereas the principal layer of boron carbide remains stable.

By modifications of the interface of Cr/Ti multilayers using an ultra-thin carbon buffer layer at each interface, remarkable improvement of the soft X-ray reflectivity of the multilayers in the water window region has been achieved.

Optical constants of MgO thin film in the energy range 40–300 eV are reported and the influence of the core-hole effect on the optical constants near the Mg L-edge region are discussed.

A synchrotron radiation induced contamination layer (a-C:H) on a mirror surface showed a strong variation in structural properties with photon dose. The D- to G-peak intensity ratio [I(D)/I(G)], cluster size and disordering were found to increase with photon dose whereas the sp²:sp³ ratio, G-peak position and hydrogen content were found to decrease with photon dose. In the central region on the mirror surface structural parameters were obtained by soft X-ray reflectivity.

A carbon-contaminated synchrotron mirror has been cleaned by an RF plasma cleaning technique. The cleaned mirror was characterized by Raman spectroscopy, soft X-ray reflectivity and atomic force microscopy measurements.