Roughening transition and solid-state diffusion in short-period InP/In0.53Ga0.47As superlattices

We have examined the structural properties of InP/In0.53Ga0.47As superlatti ces grown by metalorganic molecular beam epitaxy by varying the periodicity and the total thickness. We observed a roughening transition, which involv es the formation of wavy interfaces, when the period and total thickness of the superlattice exceeded critical values. Interface roughening in the wak e of the growth front reveals that solid state diffusion in subsurface laye rs can be induced by surface stresses associated with surface roughening. ( C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.