Residual stress analysis in micro- and nano-structured materials by X-ray diffraction

Micro- and nano-structured materials often exhibit high level of residual stresses which may affect the reliability of electronic devices. Stress control is, therefore, essential for improving device lifetime. X-ray diffraction is one of the most widely used techniques for stress analysis. It is essentially non destructive and allows for the study of both the microstructural and elastic properties of all the diffracting phases in complex materials. With the advent of third generation synchrotrons and the development of new X-ray optics and detectors as well as enhanced data analysis capabilities, measurements of specific stress features such as local stresses, stress gradients and stress heterogeneities are now within reach. This paper reviews the state of the art in that field illustrated with a few examples.