Relaxation of residual stresses in highly stressed multilayers initiated by ion irradiation

Abstract In situ deformation measurements (static and dynamic) of W/Cu multilayer films were made by employing laser interferometric and piezoelectric transducer techniques to register mechanical waves generated during ion irradiation of multilayers. It is found that the kinetics of relaxation of tensile and compressive stresses initiated by ion irradiation in initially highly stressed microstructures is different. The process of relaxation of compressive stress has a threshold character and takes place when the energy retained in the film is approximately equal to the energy required to produce 10 −2 –10 −1 displacements per target atom.