Abstract
X-ray standing waves (XSW) were used to investigate the structure of molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) grown (AlAs)3(GaAs)7 short-period superlattices (SPSL). The modulation of the Al K, As L, and Ga L x-ray fluorescence induced by XSW was measured at the zero-order superlattice (SL) satellite (AlAs)(GaAs)(004,0) and the GaAs(004) substrate Bragg reflection. From the shape of the fluorescence yield modulations and the diffraction pattern, a model of the interfaces is derived by comparing the experimental data with dynamical calculations of the x-ray wave field distribution and reflectivity. A straightforward analysis of the fluorescence measurements at the SL satellite shows that in AlAs layers a high crystalline order is established, whereas in GaAs layers a fraction of the Ga and As atoms is not on ideal lattice sites, but is displaced towards the substrate. The data can be explained by a model in which, at each AlAs/GaAs interface of the GaAs layers, two Ga atom planes are displaced by 0.035 nm and 0.008 nm and one As atom plane by 0.023 nm. The displacements within the GaAs layers exhibit a mirror symmetry with respect to the centre of each layer.
Published Version
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