  Periodical multilayer (ML) structures can be used as generators of X-ray
standing waves (XSW) for investigation of objects and processes on solid/liquid
and solid/gas interfaces. In this paper, we investigate the specific
requirements to the structural properties of the multilayer structures for XSW
application. We consider the effect of typical defects in the ML structure on
the X-ray standing wave formation and show that the X-ray standing wave is very
robust against the random imperfection in the multilayer structure. In
contrast, the roughness of the topmost layer will have a strong influence on
the XSW experimental results, as the ML serves as a support for the
investigated objects, so that the surface geometry gets directly translated
into the objects. In the experimental part of this work, we have used the
ion-beam deposition to grow Ni/Al metal- and metal oxide-based multilayers and
investigate with AFM their surface quality. The presented results demonstrate
that metal oxides can be successfully used as basic material for X-ray
multilayer standing wave generators.
