APPLICATION OF THE MODEL OF THE RELAXATION LINE IN RECIPROCAL SPACE TO II-VI HETEROSTRUCTURES

Reciprocal space mapping by high-resolution x-ray diffraction is a pow erful method for detailed structural characterization of imperfect cry stalline layers. The application of a relaxation line model for the in terpretation of reciprocal space maps will be demonstrated for epitaxi ally grown II-VI heterostructures. This model enables one to distingui sh between a gradient of the strain and of the chemical composition in epitaxial layers. In addition, the use of a relaxation line model in describing thermoelastic strain in heterostructures is shown for HgSe layers on ZnTe buffers grown on GaAs(001) substrates. The degree of th ermoelastic strain can be influenced by either the growth temperature or by the temperature during characterization. The former was investig ated.