[en] A new application of double crystal topography using selected diffraction from portions of bent crystals was used to determine the curvature of single crystal Si wafers coated with hydrogenated amorphous Si (a-Si:H) films. This direct imaging method allowed measurements of the radii of curvature R of bent crystals over a range approx. =0.2--1000 m. Using this procedure two different series of a-Si:H films were measured to compare the internal strains and monitor these as a function of film thickness. The curvature of the sample crystals was shown to be inversely proportional to the thickness of the film. The internal stress was found to be independent of film thickness, but only depended on the processing conditions