An investigation was made of the stoichiometry of B-interstitial clusters produced in a molecular-beam epitaxially-grown B box by Si implantation and annealing, and their dissolution during further prolonged annealing cycles. Low-concentration B delta-doping was used to monitor quantitatively the interstitial (I) flux. A stoichiometric ratio of about 1.2 between I and B was found for the B-interstitial clusters formed at 815C. The B-interstitial cluster dissolution kinetics were investigated by analyzing the concentration profiles after various times at 815 to 950C, using a simulation code capable of deconvoluting the processes of B diffusion and B release from clusters. It was found that the main mechanism of cluster dissolution was the release of interstitial B atoms; with a thermal activation energy of 3.2eV.

Catalytic Role of Boron Atoms in Self-Interstitial Clustering in Si. G.S.Hwang, W.A.Goddard: Applied Physics Letters, 2003, 83[5], 1047-9