POINT DEFECTS AND DIFFUSION PROCESSES IN SILICON.

Abstract

We review two subjects: oxidation effects which established that vacancies (V) and self-interstitials (I) coexist in Si; and Au diffusion into dislocation-free Si which allowed a determination of the I-component and an estimate of the V-component of the Si self-diffusion coefficient. We then discuss topics for which some new understanding is developing within the framework of the coexistence of I and V: reaching dynamical equilibrium of I and V; the point defect generating behavior of the (111) Si-SiO//2 interface; point defect generation due to nitridation; and the interaction of Au atoms with I and V as a function of temperature.