To study the generation of interstitials and vacancies due to oxidation of silicon crystals, a quenching method was used: that is, oxidation at high temperatures in mixed water vapour and hydrogen gas followed by quenching into water. Contrary to the expectation that the interstitial concentration would be high, the vacancy concentration generated due to the short period of oxidation was higher than that of the thermal equilibrium concentration.

Point Defects Generated by Oxidation of Silicon Crystal Surface. M.Suezawa, Y.Yamamoto, M.Suemitsu, I.Yonenaga: Physica B, 2009, 404[23-24], 5156-8