X-ray diffraction analysis of growth, thermal vibrations and internal stress in hexagonal cadmium films

Films of specpure cadmium deposited on glass substrates by vacuum evaporation method have been studied for growth, thermal vibrations and internal residual stress by X-ray diffraction analysis. A strong preferential orientation along (00.2) was observed for all films. Root mean square amplitude of displacement of atoms at lattice points increases with the decrease of film thickness and the internal residual stress is tensile in nature. The results have been explained in terms of atomic relaxation and the presence of lattice imperfections in thin films. (author). 9 refs