The lattice parameters of 3C-SiC thin films epitaxially grown on 6H-SiC(0001) substrate crystals have been precisely determined by using high resolution x-ray diffraction methods. Reciprocal space maps recorded around symmetrical and asymmetrical x-ray reflections revealed a pseudomorphic growth of the thin film in relation to the substrate lattice, whereas perpendicular to the surface the interplanar spacing of the lattice planes differ slightly ∆d/d = 8.7⋅10 -4 . This implicates inherent thin

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... film strain (ε) and stress (σ ) components. The in-plane components are found to be εí = -4.8⋅10 - and σí = 2.26⋅10 8 N/m 2 , whereas perpendicular to the surface the thin film strain component is found to be ε^ = 2.8⋅10 -4 .