Irradiation effects were studied at low temperatures by using in situ transmission electron microscopy. Amorphization was induced by high-energy irradiation at low temperatures. The amorphization mechanism was explained in terms of self-interstitial clustering. It was found that numerous defects which were a few nm in diameter were produced. The characteristics of the defects differed from those of known interstitial clusters.

Electron Irradiation Effects in Si Observed at 4.2-25K by Means of in situ Transmission Electron Microscopy S.Takeda, J.Yamasaki, Y.Kimura: Physica B, 1999, 273-274, 476-9