Anisotropicelasticity calculations have been made for use in conjunction with strain measurements by x‐ray diffraction for sputtered single‐crystal films. Only the cubic case has been treated. Data from InSb films with (100) and (111) orientations on similarly oriented GaAs substrates are given. It was found that nearly alike planar strains ε yield lower planar stresses σ′ 1 and σ′ 2 and stored energy density U for the (100) orientation. The (100) films exhibit a relatively large strain perpendicular to the film ε3.