The application of the strain induced lateral ordering process to the strain-compensated (Ga0.22In0.78As)m(Ga0.22 In0.78P)m short period superlattices is investigated. The superlattices have been grown at low temperatures by solid source molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) on (001) InP. These superlattices have been used in multiquantum well heterostructures using InP as barriers. The anisotropic polarization of photoluminescence shows the existence of lateral modulation. Dark-field images using the 220 reflection gives modulated contrast in the superlattice layers. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy shows local variations of the interplanar spacing of the (200) planes as well as the angles they form with the (002) planes.

The authors would like to thank the Spanish “CICYT” for financially supporting this research under Contract No. TIC-99-0645-C05-05.

Peer Reviewed