The strain and lattice disorder introduced by room temperature implantation (N, Si, Zn) into strained‐layer superlattices (SLS) of In0.2Ga0.8As/ GaAs have been measured by cantilever‐beam techniques and by channeled and random Rutherford backscattering spectrometry. These measurements indicate that a maximum lateral compressive stress of ∼5×109dyn/cm2is induced for all the ions at fluences corresponding to deposited energy densities of about 1020keV/cm3into collisional processes. The compositional modulation of the SLS is maintained at fluences which exceed the yield stress value even in the presence of additional implantation‐induced stress and significant numbers of atomic displacements.