Dislocation density and Burgers vector population in fiber-textured Ni thin films determined by high-resolution X-ray line profile analysis

Nanocrystalline Ni thin films have been produced by direct current electrodeposition with different additives and current density in order to obtain 〈100〉, 〈111〉 and 〈211〉 major fiber textures. The dislocation density, the Burgers vector population and the coherently scattering domain size distribution are determined by high-resolution X-ray diffraction line profile analysis.

The substructure parameters are correlated with the strength of the films by using the combined Taylor and Hall-Petch relations. The convolutional multiple whole profile method is used to obtain the substructure parameters in the different coexisting texture components. A strong variation of the dislocation density is observed as a function of the deposition conditions.