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Abstract <p>Experimental observation of microscopic strain in functional devices has sparked interest in fields ranging from microelectronics to biotechnology, as strain engineering enables tuning of electronic, optical, or elastic properties. Moreover, lattice strain can trigger phase transitions, giving rise to new physical properties and their coupling phenomena. The study of correlations between structure and function requires an experimental technique to quantify the full deformation state in thin films and microstructures on the length scales relevant for nanotechnology. We highlight the capabilities of four- and five-dimensional scanning x-ray diffraction microscopy to fulfill this role through several showcase experiments, demonstrating spatial resolution below 100 nm, high lattice sensitivity &lt;10<sup>−5</sup>, and full quantification of all nine independent components of the local deformation tensor. Being model-free, nondestructive, universally applicable to crystalline materials and compatible with&#xa0;<i>operando</i> experiments, this characterization&#xa0;technique has potential to bridge gaps&#xa0;in the field of strain engineering.</p> Impact statement <p>The possibility to design materials properties by introducing elastic lattice strain is a fundamental approach in semiconductor nanotechnology and materials science that enabled breakthroughs in fields ranging from optoelectronics via quantum computing to energy storage. Because elastic strain is a tensor quantity, each component can be tuned to tailor a materials electronic band structure in a different way. The ability to microscopically and nondestructively map each of these components may thus provide an essential tool to understand the structure–property relationship in these materials. This article showcases five-dimensional scanning x-ray diffraction microscopy (SXDM), a synchrotron-based technique that provides strain maps with nanoscale spatial resolution (below 50&#xa0;nm) and high strain sensitivity (10<sup>–5</sup>). Unlike conventional methods, SXDM captures the full deformation tensor, including diagonal and shear components, directly and model-free. Its ability to map strain variations without altering the sample and without the need for modeling assumptions makes SXDM an indispensable and gap-bridging technique for advancing next-generation nanotechnologies. By highlighting applications in InGaN thin films, Si/SiGe quantum devices, GeSn microdisks, perovskite solar cells, and battery cathodes, our review demonstrates SXDM’s potential to transform materials characterization and inspire new experimental approaches that lead to a deeper understanding of crystalline materials.</p> Graphical Abstract <p></p>

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Direct mapping of lattice strain and structure by five-dimensional scanning x-ray diffraction microscopy

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年6月15日

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  • Cedric Corley-Wiciak,
  • Edoardo Zatterin,
  • Nikita Vostrov,
  • Mattia Colalongo,
  • Steven J. Leake,
  • Tobias U. Schulli,
  • Carsten Richter

摘要

Abstract

Experimental observation of microscopic strain in functional devices has sparked interest in fields ranging from microelectronics to biotechnology, as strain engineering enables tuning of electronic, optical, or elastic properties. Moreover, lattice strain can trigger phase transitions, giving rise to new physical properties and their coupling phenomena. The study of correlations between structure and function requires an experimental technique to quantify the full deformation state in thin films and microstructures on the length scales relevant for nanotechnology. We highlight the capabilities of four- and five-dimensional scanning x-ray diffraction microscopy to fulfill this role through several showcase experiments, demonstrating spatial resolution below 100 nm, high lattice sensitivity <10−5, and full quantification of all nine independent components of the local deformation tensor. Being model-free, nondestructive, universally applicable to crystalline materials and compatible with operando experiments, this characterization technique has potential to bridge gaps in the field of strain engineering.

Impact statement

The possibility to design materials properties by introducing elastic lattice strain is a fundamental approach in semiconductor nanotechnology and materials science that enabled breakthroughs in fields ranging from optoelectronics via quantum computing to energy storage. Because elastic strain is a tensor quantity, each component can be tuned to tailor a materials electronic band structure in a different way. The ability to microscopically and nondestructively map each of these components may thus provide an essential tool to understand the structure–property relationship in these materials. This article showcases five-dimensional scanning x-ray diffraction microscopy (SXDM), a synchrotron-based technique that provides strain maps with nanoscale spatial resolution (below 50 nm) and high strain sensitivity (10–5). Unlike conventional methods, SXDM captures the full deformation tensor, including diagonal and shear components, directly and model-free. Its ability to map strain variations without altering the sample and without the need for modeling assumptions makes SXDM an indispensable and gap-bridging technique for advancing next-generation nanotechnologies. By highlighting applications in InGaN thin films, Si/SiGe quantum devices, GeSn microdisks, perovskite solar cells, and battery cathodes, our review demonstrates SXDM’s potential to transform materials characterization and inspire new experimental approaches that lead to a deeper understanding of crystalline materials.

Graphical Abstract