Study of Strain Relaxation in InAs/GaAs Strained-layer Superlattices by Raman Spectroscopy and Electron Microscopy

Abstract

InAs/GaAs strained-layer superlattices (SLS) grown on a GaAs(100) substrate were studied by both Raman spectroscopy (RS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). It was shown that the interfaces inside the superlattice are coherent, but the superlattice–substrate interface contain an orthogonal two-dimensional network of 60° misfit dislocations. Using these experimental data values of elastic strain in individual layers and the average values of the residual elastic strain in SLS were determined. The latter are approximately one order of magnitude higher than theoretically predicted data, which suggests that the relaxation of elastic strains was not fully complete. Subsequent annealing of these structures led to the generation of more misfit dislocations, consistent with further relaxation of elastic strain.