ABSTRACT
Defects play a crucial role in semiconductor processing and in finished devices by mediating diffusion,
defining junction leakage, and controlling carrier recombination. As a result, issues as wide ranging
as junction depth, noise, and memory retention time are critically dependent on the defect population.
By far the most important source of point defects is the ion implantation process, which produces
high concentrations of intrinsic defects (self-interstitials and vacancies). The issues regarding diffusion
enhancement in silicon by intrinsic defects have been studied in great detail in relation to small
devices and although some work exists for the SiGe case, the problem is vastly more complicated
because of the interaction of defects with strain, interfaces, and, in some cases, the introduction of
dislocations.
