Theory of electronically stimulated defect migration in semiconductors

We develop a theory for carrier-capture-enhanced, recombination-enhanced, and athermal defect migration in semiconductors. Contrary to assumptions made recently in describing such processes in Si, we find that knowledge of energy levels or even total energies at only the initial equilibrium and saddle points is not sufficient to determine barrier reductions. We obtain quantitative criteria for athermal migration and new insights in the enhanced migration of interstitial Al in Si, where we find a recombination channel that may significantly slow down the overall migration rate. © 1984 The American Physical Society.