Unusual elastic constants of cubic MnTe in strained-layer superlattices measured by x-ray diffraction

Elastic constants of the recently grown nonequilibrium zinc-blende form of MnTe were measured. Strained layer MnTe/ZnTe superlattices in which MnTe appears in this zinc-blende form were studied using triple crystal x-ray diffraction. The diffraction spectra were fitted using a dynamical model to determine the thickness and the lattice constants of each layer. From these and other measurements, the elastic constants C₁₁ and C₁₂ of MnTe were determined to be 2.22±{}0.1 and 1.16±{}0.1, respectively. These values are very low compared to all other zinc-blende or diamond structure materials investigated so far.