Identical sets of thermal oxidation and nitridation experiments were performed because selectively perturbing equilibrium point-defect concentrations by using these surface reactions was a means for identifying the relative importance of various atomic-scale diffusion mechanisms. Bounds were obtained on the fractional contributions of self-interstitials, vacancies and concerted exchange mechanisms to diffusion at 1100 and 1000C (tables 1 and 2). The bounds were found by simultaneously solving a system of equations while making only very conservative assumptions. The As diffusion results yielded evidence of a dual vacancy-interstitial mechanism plus a possible concerted exchange component.

Fractional Contributions of Microscopic Diffusion Mechanisms for Common Dopants and Self-Diffusion in Silicon. A.Ural, P.B.Griffin, J.D.Plummer: Journal of Applied Physics, 1999, 85[9], 6440-6. See also: Applied Physics Letters, 1998, 73[12], 1706-8

Table 2

Diffusivity Enhancement or Retardation for As in Si