Strained superlattices and heterostructures: Elastic considerations

The properties of tensor invariants are used to obtain the complete component array of the strain/stress field and the elastic energy density in strained heterostructures and superlattices of cubic materials. An arbitrary direction of growth is assumed. In-plane isotropic strains or stresses are considered independently. Normal-to-the-plane uniaxial strains are also treated, in connection with pulsed laser annealing of bulk materials. The results are expressed in terms of the elastic constants and simple geometrical functions; they are readily applicable and require no extensive computation. Specific orientations of current interest are treated explicitly.