  Atomic Force Microscopy and Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction measurements
have revealed the presence of ripples aligned along the $[1\bar{1}0]$ direction
on the surface of (Ga,Mn)As layers grown on GaAs(001) substrates and buffer
layers, with periodicity of about 50 nm in all samples that have been studied.
These samples show the strong symmetry breaking uniaxial magnetic anisotropy
normally observed in such materials. We observe a clear correlation between the
amplitude of the surface ripples and the strength of the uniaxial magnetic
anisotropy component suggesting that these ripples might be the source of such
anisotropy.

Materials Science;Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics;Quantum Physics