The Ci(SiI)n defect in neutron-irradiated silicon

• Published in: Journal of materials science. Materials in electronics 2020, Vol.31 (2), p.930-934
• Main Authors: Londos, C. A., Christopoulos, S.-R. G., Chroneos, A., Angeletos, T., Potsidi, M., Antonaras, G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Annealing; Carbon; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry and Materials Science; Defect annealing; Defects; Density functional theory; Interstitials; Irradiation; Kinetics; Materials Science; Optical and Electronic Materials; Self-interstitials; Silicon; Spectrum analysis; Thermal stability
• ISSN: 0957-4522; 1573-482X
• DOI: 10.1007/s10854-019-02602-4

We report experimental results in neutron-irradiated silicon containing carbon. Initially, carbon interstitial (C i ) defects form and readily associate with self-interstitials in the course of irradiation leading to the production of C i (Si I ) defects and upon annealing to the sequential formation of C i (Si I ) n complexes. Infrared spectroscopy measurements report the detection of two localized vibrational bands at 953 and 960 cm −1 related to the C i (Si I ) defect. The thermal stability and annealing kinetics of the defect are discussed. The decay out of the two bands occurs in the temperature range of 130–200 °C. They follow second-order kinetics with an activation energy of 0.93 eV. No other bands were detected to grow in the spectra upon their annealing. Density functional theory calculations were used to investigate the structure and the energetics of the C i (Si I ) and the C i (Si I ) 2 defects.