Measurement of Strain and Lattice Tilt at the Margins of Thin Film Islands on Single-crystal Substrates by Double-crystal X-ray Topography

Various amounts of strain and lattice deformation were introduced into <111> Si substrates by the deposition of amorphous Si films of different thicknesses. Strain and deformation are concentrated along the film edges and were recorded as contrast in double-crystal X-ray topograph (DXRT) images. The contrast in the DXRT images was measured and was related to lattice deformation by means of the X-ray rocking curve. The technique was able to independently measure deformation from strains and lattice tilts at film edges. These deformations varied linearly with film thickness.