Self-interstitials and vacancies in elemental semiconductors between absolute zero and the temperature of melting

Abstract

Following an introductory overview of the intrinsic point defects in semiconductors the paper concentrates on Si and Ge, in particular on the exciting recent developments concerning Si self-interstitials. Proceedings from low to high temperatures the discussion covers the following subjects: the low-temperature mobility of point defects induced by particle irradiation or other techniques generating free charge carriers; the geometrical configurations, electric charge states, and thermally activated migration of self-interstitials and vacancies at intermediate temperatures; the predominance of vacancies in Ge and self-interstitials in Si under high-temperature equilibrium conditions. The remainder of the paper deals with the transition of the Si self-interstitials from dumbbell to spread-out configurations between intermediate and high temperatures and—so far as to bring out the relationship to self-interstitials in Si—with concentration-enhanced-diffusion phenomena and with the diffusion of Au in Si.