The relaxation of InGaAs/GaAs thin films, grown by molecular beam epitaxy, was studied by using an in situ optical stress sensor technique. Profiles of normalized film strain versus thickness were obtained for several growth temperatures and for two InGaAs compositions. The profiles were modeled using the Dodson-Tsao concept of effective stress, and a new kinetic model was proposed for dislocation sources which were associated with surface roughness, could be generated by film growth and exhibited a transient response following a growth hiatus.

Kinetics of Dislocation-Mediated Strain Relaxation in InGaAs/GaAs Heteroepitaxy. R.Beresford, C.Lynch, E.Chason: Journal of Crystal Growth, 2003, 251[1-4], 106-11