Determination of surface lattice strain in ZnTe epilayers on {100}GaAs by ion channeling and reflectance spectroscopy

We report on the direct measurements of surface lattice strain in ZnTe epitaxial layers on {100}GaAs substrates by ion channeling Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and low-temperature (10 K) reflectance spectroscopy measurements. The measured ZnTe strain is the superposition of the expected thermal (tensile) strain and a thickness-dependent residual compressive strain. Our data indicate that the removal of this residual strain is slower than the rate predicted by the equilibrium theory, following an apparent h^(-1/2) power-law dependence on the epilayer thickness h, above approximately 100 nm.