It was noted that the diffusivity of Sb was retarded by pressure, and was characterized at 860C by an activation volume of 0.07 times the Si atomic volume. This value was close to those predicted by using atomistic calculations that were based upon a vacancy mechanism. The results for hydrostatic pressures were used to predict the effect of biaxial strain upon Sb diffusion. The predictions were found to match the observed behavior for Sb diffusion in biaxially strained Si and Si-Ge films. It was concluded that this supported the vacancy mechanism for Sb diffusion, and was a first step in predicting the effect of non-hydrostatic stresses upon diffusion.

Activation Volume for Antimony Diffusion in Silicon and Implications for Strained Films Y.Zhao, M.J.Aziz, H.J.Gossmann, S.Mitha, D.Schiferl: Applied Physics Letters, 1999, 75[7], 941-3