It was found that regular hexagonal stacking faults were generated, on 4 equivalent (111)-type planes of some crystals, during Au diffusion at 1150C. The stacking faults formed in regions which were more than 0.1mm from the specimen surface, and their size and number increased with increasing substitutional Au concentration. Their number decreased with decreasing Au concentration. The number of point defects which contributed to the growth of stacking faults was almost equal to that of the substitutional Au atoms which diffused into the material. Each stacking fault was of extrinsic type and contained one atomic layer of point defects. Reaction between the nuclei of stacking faults, and the point defects, was localized rather than being uniformly distributed. The point defect capture radius of sink/sources was equal to about 0.065mm at 1150C. Thus, the specimen surface was the principal sink/source for point defects in regions which were closer to the surface than 0.065mm.

M.Morooka, M.Takahashi, F.Hashimoto: Japanese Journal of Applied Physics 1, 1992, 31[8], 2327-32