Critical thickness of quantum-well structures: Modified Matthews-Blakeslee formula and experimental support gathered by means of synchrotron x-ray reflection topography

Qualitative experimental evidence that certain types of misfit dislocations shrink and eventually disappear when a capping layer is grown on an essentially unrelaxed strained epilayer has been gathered by means of synchrotron X-ray reflection topography. This evidence supports the modification of the line tension force term and the omission of a factor of two in the classical Matthews and Blakeslee critical thickness formula for a quantum-well structure.