It was recalled that nitriding of bare Si surfaces in NH3 ambients was known to introduce vacancies. Such nitride films could also form during annealing in N ambients. The effects of such annealing upon the redistribution of vacancies were investigated here by means of low-temperature Pt diffusion. It was shown that annealing in N ambients at 1200 or 1250C led to an increase in the vacancy concentration with time.

M.Jacob, P.Pichler, H.Ryssel, R.Falster, M.Cornara, D.Gambaro, M.Olmo, M.Pagani: Solid State Phenomena, 1997, 57-58, 349-54