Trends in the growth of extended interstitial defects were extracted from extensive tight-binding and ab initio local density approximation simulations. With an increasing number of interstitials, the stable defect shape evolved from compact, to chain-like, to rod-like. The rod-like {311} defect, which was formed from (011) interstitial chains, stabilized as it grew; elongating in the chain direction. An accurate parametrization of the defect-formation energy on the number of interstitials and interstitial chains, together with the anisotropy of the interstitial capture radius, permitted macroscopic defect-growth simulation.

Stability of Si-Interstitial Defects - from Point to Extended Defects J.Kim, F.Kirchhoff, J.W.Wilkins, F.S.Khan: Physical Review Letters, 2000, 84[3], 503-6