Intermixing timetiand interdiffusion coefficientsDof nanometer periods Si/Ge strained layer superlattices (SLSs) were measured by Raman scattering technique. Si12Ge12and Si19Ge9SLSs have been annealed in the temperature range 760–900 °C during various time intervals. The observedDandtifollow the Arrhenius‐like behavior with different activation energies &Dgr;E=1.78±0.15 eV and 3.94±0.15 eV and pre‐exponential factorsD=2×10−10cm2 s−1and 0.7 cm2s−1, respectively, for the Si12Ge12and Si19Ge9SLSs.D,ti, &Dgr;E, andD0are strongly affected by the changes of the SLS layer thickness, and strain. An explanation of the experimental observations is proposed in terms of the kinetic electron‐related theory of atomic diffusion in solids. The observed variations of &Dgr;EandD0are related to the material parameters, which are characterized by picosecond atomic and electronic phenomena in nanometer regions, in good agreement with the observations. ©1995 American Institute of Physics.