The dislocation motion in Czochralski silicon containing oxygen precipitates of different densities and sizes was experimentally investigated in order to identify the strengthening mechanism of oxygen precipitates. The correlation of rosette sizes and oxygen precipitate densities and sizes was investigated quantitatively in terms of dispersion and precipitation strengthening mechanism. It was found that the precipitation strengthening mechanism was much more appropriate to account for the immobilization effect of oxygen precipitates on dislocations as compared to the dispersion strengthening mechanism.

Immobilization of Dislocations by Oxygen Precipitates in Czochralski Silicon: Feasibility of Precipitation Strengthening Mechanism. Z.Zeng, J.Chen, Y.Zeng, X.Ma, D.Yang: Journal of Crystal Growth, 2011, 324[1], 93-7