An investigation was made of the radiation defects which were produced by the H+ bombardment of crystals with internal strain. Misfit mechanical strain was introduced by the prior implantation of Ge+ ions to doses of up to 3 x 1016/cm2, and by annealing at 1050C. The radiation defects which were generated by subsequent H+ bombardment were studied by means of deep-level transient spectroscopy. It was noted that the internal Ge-related mechanical strain resulted in an apparent decrease in the defect concentration and in a broadening of the measured defect profiles. The behavior of the radiation defects in the presence of a strain field was explained in terms of energy transfer from the elastic strain field to the radiation defects, and in terms of motionally averaged states of the defects.

J.Suprun-Belevich, L.Palmetshofer: Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B, 1996, 115[1-4], 557-60