Extended synchrotron X-ray reflectivity study of a Sm-based layer buried into CdTe(001)

International audienceWe present an extended X-ray reflectivity study of a Sm-based epitaxial layer buried into CdTe(001) in order to investigate its structure. The measured reflectivity is modelled over a wide range of momentum transfer and the adjustment of the calculated intensity gives quantitative information about the electron density and interplanar distance profiles along the surface normal. Complementary experiments of photoemission spectroscopy allow the interpretation of the in-plane electron density in terms of chemical composition. High resolution electron microscopy shows that the very strong chemical gradients deduced from the model result from an original topology of the layer