Dolabella, SimoneFrison, RuggeroChahine, Gilbert A.Richter, CarstenSchulli, Tobias U.Tasdemir, ZuhalAlaca, B. ErdemLeblebici, YusufDommann, AlexNeels, Antonia2020-03-032020-03-032020-03-032020-02-0110.1107/S1600576719015504https://infoscience.epfl.ch/handle/20.500.14299/166898WOS:000512316900008Silicon nanowire-based sensors find many applications in micro- and nano-electromechanical systems, thanks to their unique characteristics of flexibility and strength that emerge at the nanoscale. This work is the first study of this class of micro- and nano-fabricated silicon-based structures adopting the scanning X-ray diffraction microscopy technique for mapping the in-plane crystalline strain (epsilon(044)) and tilt of a device which includes pillars with suspended nanowires on a substrate. It is shown how the micro- and nanostructures of this new type of nanowire system are influenced by critical steps of the fabrication process, such as electron-beam lithography and deep reactive ion etching. X-ray analysis performed on the 044 reflection shows a very low level of lattice strain (<0.00025 Delta d/d) but a significant degree of lattice tilt (up to 0.214 degrees). This work imparts new insights into the crystal structure of micro- and nanomaterial-based sensors, and their relationship with critical steps of the fabrication process.Chemistry, MultidisciplinaryCrystallographyChemistrynano-electromechanical systemsnemsmicro-electromechanical systemsmemsnanowiresscanning x-ray diffraction microscopylattice tilt and strain mappingx-ray microdiffractiondamagebeamorientationfabricationtechnologyactuatorswhitetext::journal::journal article::research article