Nickel carbon based multi-layers are a viable route towards future hard X-ray and soft gamma-ray focusing telescopes. Here, we study the Pulsed Laser Deposition growth conditions of such bilayers by Reflective High Energy Electron Diffraction, X-ray Reflectivity and Diffraction, Atomic Force Microscopy, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy and cross-sectional Transmission Electron Microscopy analysis, with emphasis on optimization of process pressure and substrate temperature during growth. The thin multi-layers are grown on a treated SiO substrate resulting in Ni and C layers with surface roughnesses (RMS) of <= 0.2 nm. Small droplets resulting during melting of the targets surface increase the roughness, however, and cannot be avoided. The sequential process at temperatures beyond 300 degrees C results into intermixing between the two layers, being destructive for the reflectivity of the multi-layer. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.