As mentioned earlier the bond-centered configuration itself constitutes a saddle point configuration relaxing into the energetically more favorable \hkl<1 1 0> configuration.
An activation energy of 2.2 eV is necessary to reorientate the \hkl<0 0 -1> dumbbell configuration into the \hkl<1 1 0> configuration, which is 1.3 eV higher in energy.
Residing in this state another 0.9 eV is enough to make the C atom form a \hkl<0 0 -1> dumbbell configuration with the Si atom of the neighboured lattice site.
-In contrast to quantum-mechanical calculations, in which the direct transition is the energetically most favorable transition and the transition composed of the intermmediate migration steps is very unlikely to occur the just presented pathway is much more supposable in classical potential simulations, since the energetically most favorable transition found so far is also composed of two migration steps with activation energies of 2.2 eV and 0.5 eV.
-{\color{red}Todo: Stress out that this is actually more probable, since BC conf is unstable!}
+In contrast to quantum-mechanical calculations, in which the direct transition is the energetically most favorable transition and the transition composed of the intermmediate migration steps is very unlikely to occur the just presented pathway is much more supposable in classical potential simulations, since the energetically most favorable transition found so far is also composed of two migration steps with activation energies of 2.2 eV and 0.5 eV, for which the intermediate state is the bond-centered configuration, which is unstable.
+Thus the just proposed migration path involving the \hkl<1 1 0> interstitial configuration becomes even more probable than path 1 involving the unstable bond-centered configuration.
Although classical potential simulations reproduce the order in energy of the \hkl<1 0 0> and \hkl<1 1 0> C-Si dumbbell interstitial configurations as obtained by more accurate quantum-mechanical calculations the obtained migration pathways and resulting activation energies differ to a great extent.
On the one hand the most favorable pathways differ.
As expected by the initialization conditions the two carbon atoms form a bond.
This bond has a length of 1.38 \AA{} close to the nex neighbour distance in diamond or graphite, which is approximately 1.54 \AA.
The minimum of binding energy observed for this configuration suggests prefered C clustering as a competing mechnism to the C-Si dumbbell interstitial agglomeration inevitable for the SiC precipitation.
-{\color{red}Todo: Activation energy to obtain a configuration of separated C atoms again or vice versa to obtain this configuration from separated C confs?}
+{\color{red}Todo: Activation energies to obtain separated C confs currently in progress - could be added in the combined defect migration chapter and mentioned here, too!}
However, for the second most favorable configuration, presented in figure \ref{fig:defects:comb_db_01} a), the amount of possibilities for this configuration is twice as high.
In this configuration the initial Si (I) and C (I) dumbbell atoms are displaced along \hkl<1 0 0> and \hkl<-1 0 0> in such a way that the Si atom is forming tetrahedral bonds with two silicon and two carbon atoms.
The carbon and silicon atom constituting the second defect are as well displaced in such a way, that the carbon atom forms tetrahedral bonds with four silicon neighbours, a configuration expected in silicon carbide.
\section{Conclusions concerning the SiC conversion mechanism}
-The ground state configuration of a carbon interstitial in crystalline siliocn is found to be the C-Si \hkl<1 0 0> dumbbell interstitial configuration.
-The threefold coordinated carbon and silicon atom share a usual silicon lattice site.
-Migration simulations reveal the carbon interstitial to be mobile at prevailing implantation temperatures requireing an activation energy of approximately 0.9 eV for migration as well as reorientation processes.
+The ground state configuration of a carbon interstitial in crystalline siliocn is found to be the C-Si \hkl<1 0 0> dumbbell interstitial configuration, in which the threefold coordinated carbon and silicon atom share a usual silicon lattice site.
+This supports the assumption of C-Si \hkl<1 0 0>-type dumbbel interstitial formation in the first steps of the IBS process as proposed by the precipitation model introduced in section \ref{section:assumed_prec}.
+
+Migration simulations reveal this carbon interstitial to be mobile at prevailing implantation temperatures requireing an activation energy of approximately 0.9 eV for migration as well as reorientation processes.
+This enables possible migration of the defects to form defect agglomerates as demanded by the model.
+Unfortunately classical potential simulations show tremendously overestimated migration barriers indicating a possible failure of the necessary agglomeration of such defects.
Investigations of two carbon interstitials of the \hkl<1 0 0>-type and varying separations and orientations state an attractive interaction between these interstitials.
Depending on orientation, energetically favorable configurations are found in which these two interstitials are located close together instead of the occurernce of largely separated and isolated defects.
This is due to strain compensation enabled by the combination of such defects in certain orientations.
For dumbbells oriented along the \hkl<1 1 0> direction and the assumption that there is the possibility of free orientation, an interaction energy proportional to the reciprocal cube of the distance in the far field regime is found.
-These findings support the assumption of the C-Si dumbbell agglomeration proposed by the precipitation model introduced in section \ref{section:assumed_prec}.
+These findings support the assumption of the C-Si dumbbell agglomeration proposed by the precipitation model.
Next to the C-Si \hkl<1 0 0> dumbbell interstitial configuration, in which the C atom is sharing a Si lattice site with the corresponding Si atom the C atom could occupy the site of the Si atom, which in turn forms a Si self-interstitial.
Combinations of substitutional C and a \hkl<1 1 0> Si self-interstitial, which is the ground state configuration for a Si self-interstitial and, thus, assumed to be the energetically most favorable configuration for combined structures, show formation energies 0.5 eV to 1.5 eV greater than that of the C-Si \hkl<1 0 0> interstitial configuration, which remains the energetically most favorable configuration.
However, the binding energy of substitutional C and the Si self-interstitial quickly drops to zero already for short separations indicating a low interaction capture radius.
-Thus, due to missing attractive interaction forces driving the system to form C-Si \hkl<1 0 0> dumbbell interstitials substitutional C, while thermodynamically not stable, constitutes a most likely configuration occuring in IBS, a process far from equlibrium.
+Thus, due to missing attractive interaction forces driving the system to form C-Si \hkl<1 0 0> dumbbell interstitial complexes substitutional C, while thermodynamically not stable, constitutes a most likely configuration occuring in IBS, a process far from equlibrium.
Due to the low interaction capture radius substitutional C can be treated independently of the existence of separated Si self-interstitials.
This should be also true for combinations of C-Si interstitials next to a vacancy and a further separated Si self-interstitial excluded from treatment, which again is a conveivable configuration in IBS.
-By combination of the \hkl<1 0 0> dumbbell with a vacancy it is found that the configuration of substitutional carbon occupying the vacant site is the energetically most favorable configuration.
+By combination of a \hkl<1 0 0> dumbbell with a vacancy in the absence of the Si self-interstitial it is found that the configuration of substitutional carbon occupying the vacant site is the energetically most favorable configuration.
Low migration barriers are necessary to obtain this configuration and in contrast comparatively high activation energies necessary for the reverse process.
Thus, carbon interstitials and vacancies located close together are assumed to end up in such a configuration in which the carbon atom is tetrahedrally coordinated and bound to four silicon atoms as expected in silicon carbide.
-While first results point to ...
-
-In contrast to the above, this would suggest a silicon carbide precipitation by succesive creation of substitutional carbon instead of the agglomeration of C-Si dumbbell interstitials followed by an abrupt precipitation.
-
-0 K simulations -> C-Si DB, however non-zero temperatures and the IBS, process far from equilibrium, so sub C should be feasible ...
+While first results support the proposed precipitation model the latter suggest the formation of silicon carbide by succesive creation of substitutional carbon instead of the agglomeration of C-Si dumbbell interstitials followed by an abrupt transition.
+Prevailing conditions in the IBS process at elevated temperatures and the fact that IBS is a nonequilibrium process reinforce the possibility of formation of substitutional C instead of the thermodynamically stable C-Si dumbbell interstitials predicted by simulations at zero Kelvin.
-{\color{red}Todo: Explain that formation of SiC by substitutional C is more likely than the supposed C-Si agglomeration, at least in the absence of the accompanied Si self-interstitial.}
+{\color{blue}
+In addition, there are experimental findings, which might be exploited to reinforce the non-validity of the proposed precipitation model.
+High resolution TEM shows equal orientation of \hkl(h k l) planes of the c-Si host matrix and the 3C-SiC precipitate.
+Formation of 3C-SiC realized by successive formation of substitutional C, in which the atoms belonging to one of the two fcc lattices are substituted by C atoms perfectly conserves the \hkl(h k l) planes of the initial c-Si diamond lattice.
+Silicon self-interstitials consecutively created to the same degree are able to diffuse into the c-Si host one after another.
+Investigated combinations of C interstitials, however, result in distorted configurations, in which C atoms, which at some point will form SiC, are no longer aligned to the host.
+It is easily understandable that the mismatch in alignement will increase with increasing defect density.
+In addition, the amount of Si self-interstitials equal to the amount of agglomerated C atoms would be released all of a sudden probably not being able to diffuse into the c-Si host matrix without damaging the Si surrounding or the precipitate itself.
+In addition, IBS results in the formation of the cubic polytype of SiC only.
+As this result conforms well with the model of precipitation by substitutional C there is no obvious reason why hexagonal polytypes should not be able to form or an equal alignement would be mandatory assuming the model of precipitation by C-Si dumbbell agglomeration.
+}
-{\color{red}Todo: Si \hkl<1 1 0> migration barriers. If Si can go away fast, formation of substitutional C (and thus formation of SiC) might be a more probable process than C-Si dumbbell agglomeration.}
+{\color{red}Todo: C mobility higher than Si mobility? -> substitutional C is more likely to arise, since it migrates 'faster' to vacant sites?}
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