Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 February 2011
Intrinsic point defects determine to a large extent the semiconductor crystal quality both mechanically and electrically not only during crystal growth or when tuning polished wafer properties by thermal treatments, but also and not the least during device processing. Point defects play e.g. a crucial role in dopant diffusion and activation, in gettering processes and in extended lattice defect formation.
Available experimental data and results of numerical calculation of the formation energy and diffusivity of the intrinsic point defects in Si and Ge are compared and discussed. Intrinsic point defect clustering is illustrated by defect formation during Czochralski crystal growth.