X-ray structure investigation of lateral surface nanostructures - a full quantitative analysis of non-uniform lattice strain

Single and multilayer surface gratings of the system GaInAs/InP are studied by x-ray diffraction reciprocal space mapping. From the diffraction data w e determine the grating period and shape, the vertical compositional set-up and the non-uniform strain field caused by elastic strain relaxation after surface patterning. In particular, we report a full quantitative strain an alysis of such structures. The fitting procedure is based on strain calcula tions employing linear elasticity theory.