Abstract: Untextured bulk polycrystals usually possess macroscopically isotropic elastic properties whereas for most thin films transverse isotropy is expected, owing to the limited dimensionality. The usually applied models for the calculation of elastic constants of polycrystals from single crystal elastic constants (so-called grain interaction models) erroneously predict macroscopic isotropy for an (untextured) thin film. This paper presents a summary of recent work where it has been demonstrated for the first time by X-ray diffraction analysis of stresses in thin films that elastic grain interaction can lead to macroscopically elastically anisotropic behaviour (shown by non-linear sin2y plots). A new grain interaction model, predicting the macroscopically anisotropic behaviour of thin films, is proposed.

Key words: Thin film, Elastic constant, Grain interaction, X-ray diffraction