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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 11 February 2011
Spontaneous lateral composition modulation during semiconductor thin film growth offers a particularly versatile and cost-effective approach to manufacture nanoscale devices. Recent experimental and theoretical studies have revealed that regular lateral composition modulation can be achieved via MBE growth of the so-called short-period superlattices and can be optimized via appropriate control of the global strain, substrate surface, and processing conditions. To characterize this phenomenon, we used synchrotron x-ray scattering to identify the interfacial morphology and laterally modulated composition profile of nearly strain-balanced InAs/AlAs short-period superlattices. Our results were compared with a theoretical model. It is shown that the lateral composition modulation is predominately caused by a vertically correlated morphlogical undulation of the superlattice layers.