Real-Time X-Ray Studies of Strain Kinetics in In(x)Ga(1-x)As Quantum Structures

摘要

A new time-resolved x-ray method of probing the kinetics of interfacial strainsin semiconductor heterostructures is presented. High-resolution synchrotron-radiation measurements of the strain relaxation during rapid thermal annealing show that the lattice dilation of an as-grown quantum well structure is relieved cooperatively by a series of sluggish discontinuous transitions. Well-defined metastable states of strain are observed between the transitions.