With regard to self-diffusion in II-VI compounds, data on the Hg0.8Cd0.2Te system indicated that defect equilibrium should be established more rapidly than Hg atomic migration. This ensured the existence of constant defect populations within the atomic diffusion zone, and eliminated the appearance of 2 diffusion components due to the presence of defect non-equilibrium. An analysis of the experimental data showed that Hg multi-component diffusion profiles could be interpreted in terms of short-circuit diffusion paths. It was suggested that the measurement of Hg profiles in epitaxial material might provide further information concerning the origin of the components because this material was largely free of dislocation arrays. It was concluded that the first component of the diffusion profile provided the best estimate of the true volume self-diffusivity.

H.D.Palfrey: Journal of Crystal Growth, 1989, 94[3], 778-82