The determination of the chemical composition profile of the GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructures designed for quantum cascade lasers by means of synchrotron radiation

The chemical composition profile of the GaAs/AlGaAs quantum cascade structures grown on (0 0 1) GaAs substrate by molecular beam epitaxy is studied by a synchrotron radiation high-resolution X-ray diffraction. The analysis is carried out for the whole structure as well for its parts. In order to determine some structural parameters, such as: the thickness and chemical composition of each layer making up the investigated structure, the profile of the interface between succeeding layers, and the preservation of the structure periodicity, the experimental X-ray diffraction profiles are compared with simulated ones calculated by means of Darwin dynamical theory of X-ray diffraction. It is shown that this method gives correct chemical composition profiles and allows for the evaluation of the deviations from the designed values of the structural parameters in most investigated cases. Limits of the method are discussed, especially by the determination of the chemical composition profile for thin heterostructures, such as those making active or injector regions.