Probing unfolded acoustic phonons with X rays

Ultrafast laser excitation of an InGaAs/InAlAs superlattice (SL) creates coherent folded acoustic phonons that subsequently leak into the bulk (InP) substrate. Upon transmission, the phonons become unfolded into bulk modes and acquire a wave vector much larger than that of the light. We show that time-resolved x-ray diffraction is sensitive to this large-wave vector excitation in the substrate. Comparison with dynamical diffraction simulations of propagating strain supports our interpretation.