For structural relaxation of defect structures the same algorith is used with the temperature set to 0 K.
The formation energy $E-N_{\text{Si}}\mu_{\text{Si}}-N_{\text{C}}\mu_{\text{C}}$ of a defect configuration is defined by chosing SiC as a particle reservoir for the C impurity, i.e. the chemical potentials are determined by the cohesive energies of a perfect Si and SiC supercell after ionic relaxation.
-Migration and recombination pathways have been investigated utilizing the constraint conjugate gradient relaxation technique (CRT)\cite{kaukonen98}.
-The binding energy of a defect pair is given by the difference of the formation energy of the complex and the sum of the two separated defect configurations.
-Accordingly, energetically favorable configurations show binding energies below zero while non-interacting isolated defects result in a binding energy of zero.
+Migration and recombination pathways have been investigated utilizing the constraint conjugate gradient relaxation technique\cite{kaukonen98}.
\section{Results}
However, huge amount of damage hampers identification.
The alignment of the investigated structures to the c-Si host is lost in many cases, which suggests the necissity of much more time for structural evolution to maintain the topotaptic orientation of the precipitate.
-\section{Discussion}
+\section{Summary and discussion}
Investigations are targeted on the initially stated controversy of SiC precipitation, i.e. whether precipitation occurs abrubtly after ehough C$_{\text{i}}$ agglomerated or a successive agglomeration of C$_{\text{s}}$ on usual Si lattice sites (and Si$_{\text{i}}$) followed by a contraction into incoherent SiC.
Results of a previous ab initio study on defects and defect combinations in C implanted Si\cite{zirkelbach10b} sugeest C$_{\text{s}}$ to play a decisive role in the precipitation of SiC in Si.
In a previous comparative study\cite{zirkelbach10a} we have schown that the utilized empirical potential fails to describe some selected processes.
Thus, limitations of the employed potential have been further investigated and taken into account in the present study.
-We focussed on two major shortcomings: the overestimated activation energy and the poor description of intrinsic and C point defects in Si.
-
-
-
-Sii stress compensation ...
-
-Concluded that C sub is very probable ...
-Alignment lost, successive substitution more probable to end up with topotactic 3C-SiC.
-
-
-Both, low and high, acceleration not enough to either observe C agglomeration or amorphous to crystalline transition ...
-
-The first-principles results are in good agreement to previous work on this subject\cite{burnard93,leary97,dal_pino93,capaz94}.
-The C-Si \hkl<1 0 0> dumbbell interstitial is found to be the ground state configuration of a C defect in Si.
-The lowest migration path already proposed by Capaz et~al.\cite{capaz94} is reinforced by an additional improvement of the quantitative conformance of the barrier height calculated in this work (\unit[0.9]{eV}) with experimentally observed values (\unit[0.70]{eV} -- \unit[0.87]{eV})\cite{lindner06,song90,tipping87}.
-However, it turns out that the bond-centered configuration is not a saddle point configuration as proposed by Capaz et~al.\cite{capaz94} but constitutes a real local minimum if the electron spin is properly accounted for.
-A net magnetization of two electrons, which is already clear by simple molecular orbital theory considerations on the bonding of the sp hybridized C atom, is settled.
-By investigating the charge density isosurface it turns out that the two resulting spin up electrons are localized in a torus around the C atom.
-With an activation energy of \unit[0.9]{eV} the C$_{\text{i}}$ carbon interstitial can be expected to be highly mobile at prevailing temperatures in the process under investigation, i.e. IBS.
-
-We found that the description of the same processes fails if classical potential methods are used.
-Already the geometry of the most stable dumbbell configuration differs considerably from that obtained by first-principles calculations.
-The classical approach is unable to reproduce the correct character of bonding due to the deficiency of quantum-mechanical effects in the potential.
-%ref mod: language - energy / order
-%Nevertheless, both methods predict the same type of interstitial as the ground state configuration, and also the order in energy of the remaining defects is reproduced fairly well.
-Nevertheless, both methods predict the same type of interstitial as the ground state configuration.
-Furthermore, the relative energies of the other defects are reproduced fairly well.
-From this, a description of defect structures by classical potentials looks promising.
-% ref mod: language - changed
-%However, focussing on the description of diffusion processes the situation is changing completely.
-However, focussing on the description of diffusion processes the situation has changed completely.
-Qualitative and quantitative differences exist.
-First of all, a different pathway is suggested as the lowest energy path, which again might be attributed to the absence of quantum-mechanical effects in the classical interaction model.
-Secondly, the activation energy is overestimated by a factor of 2.4 compared to the more accurate quantum-mechanical methods and experimental findings.
-This is attributed to the sharp cut-off of the short range potential.
-As already pointed out in a previous study\cite{mattoni2007} the short cut-off is responsible for overestimated and unphysical high forces of next neighbor atoms.
-The overestimated migration barrier, however, affects the diffusion behavior of the C interstitials.
-By this artifact the mobility of the C atoms is tremendously decreased resulting in an inaccurate description or even absence of the dumbbell agglomeration as proposed by the precipitation model.
-
-\section{Summary}
-
-To conclude, we have shown that ab initio calculations on interstitial carbon in silicon are very close to the results expected from experimental data.
-The calculations presented in this work agree well with other theoretical results.
-So far, the best quantitative agreement with experimental findings has been achieved concerning the interstitial carbon mobility.
-For the first time, we have shown that the bond-centered configuration indeed constitutes a real local minimum configuration resulting in a net magnetization if spin polarized calculations are performed.
-Classical potentials, however, fail to describe the selected processes.
-This has been shown to have two reasons, i.e. the overestimated barrier of migration due to the artificial interaction cut-off on the one hand, and on the other hand the lack of quantum-mechanical effects which are crucial in the problem under study.
-% ref mod: language - being investigated
-%In order to get more insight on the SiC precipitation mechanism, further ab initio calculations are currently investigated.
-In order to get more insight on the SiC precipitation mechanism, further ab initio calculations are currently being performed.
+We focussed on two major shortcomings: the overestimated activation energy and the improper description of intrinsic and C point defects in Si.
+Overestimated forces between next neighbor atoms that are expected for short range potentials\cite{mattoni2007} have been confirmed to influence the C$_{\text{i}}$ diffusion.
+The migration barrier was estimated to be larger by a factor of 2.4 to 3.5 compared to highly accurate quantum-mechanical calculations\cite{zirkelbach10a}.
+Concerning point defects the drastically underestimated formation energy of C$_{\text{s}}$ and deficiency in the description of the Si$_{\text{i}}$ ground state necessitated further investigations on structures that are considered important for the problem under study.
+It turned out that the EA potential still favors a C$_{\text{i}}$ \hkl<1 0 0> DB over a C$_{\text{s}}$-Si$_{\text{i}}$ configuration, which, thus, does not constitute any limitation for the simulations aiming to resolve the present controversy of the proposed SiC precipitation models.
+
+MD simulations at temperatures used in IBS resulted in structures that were dominated by the C$_{\text{i}}$ \hkl<1 0 0> DB and its combinations if C is inserted into the total volume.
+Incoorporation into volmes $V_2$ and $V_3$ led to an amorphous SiC-like structure within the respective volume.
+To compensate overestimated diffusion barriers we performed simulations at accordingly increased temperatures.
+No significant change was observed for high C concentrations.
+The amorphous phase is maintained.
+Due to the incoorparation of a huge amount of C into a small volume within a short period of time damage is produced, which obviously decelerates strcutural evolution.
+For the low C concentrations, time scales are still too low to observe C agglomeration sufficient for SiC precipitation, which is attributed to the slow phase space propagation inherent to MD in general.
+However, we observed a phase tranisiton of the C$_{\text{i}}$-dominated into a clearly C$_{\text{s}}$-dominated structure.
+The amount of substitutionally occupied C atoms increases with increasing temperature.
+Entropic contributions are assumed to be responsible for these structures at eleveated temperatures that deviate from the ground state at 0 K.
+Indeed, in a previous ab initio MD simulation\cite{zirkelbach10b} performed at \unit[900]{$^{\circ}$C} we observed the departing of a Si$_{\text{i}}$ \hkl<1 1 0> DB located next to a C$_{\text{s}}$ atom instead of a recombination into the ground state configuration, i.e. a C$_{\text{i}}$ \hkl<1 0 0> DB.
+
+% postannealing less efficient than hot implantation
+Experimental studies revealed increased implantation temperatures to be more efficient than postannealing methods for the formation of topotactically aligned precipitates\cite{eichhorn02}.
+In particular restructuring of strong C-C bonds is affected\cite{deguchi92}, which preferentially arise if additional kinetic energy provided by an increase of the implantation temperature is missing to accelerate or even enable atomic rearrangements.
+We assume this to be related to the problem of slow structural evolution encountered in the high C concentration simulations due to the insertion of high amounts of C into a small volume within a short period of time resulting in essentially no time for the system to rearrange.
+% rt implantation + annealing
+Implantations of an understoichiometric dose at room temperature followed by thermal annealing results in small spherical sized C$_{\text{i}}$ agglomerates at temperatures below \unit[700]{$^{\circ}$C} and SiC precipitates of the same size at temperatures above \unit[700]{$^{\circ}$C}\cite{werner96}.
+Since, however, the implantation temperature is considered more efficient than the postannealing temperature, SiC precipitates are expected -- and indeed are observed for as-implanted samples\cite{lindner99,lindner01} -- in implantations performed at \unit[450]{$^{\circ}$C}.
+Implanted C is therefor expected to occupy substitutionally usual Si lattice sites right from the start.
+
+Thus, we propose an increased participation of C$_{\text{s}}$ already in the initial stages of the implantation process at temperatures above \unit[450]{$^{\circ}$C}, the temperature most aplicable for the formation of SiC layers of high crystalline quality and topotactical alignment\cite{lindner99}.
+Thermally activated, C$_{\text{i}}$ is enabled to turn into C$_{\text{s}}$ accompanied by Si$_{\text{i}}$.
+The associated emission of Si$_{\text{i}}$ is needed for several reasons.
+For the agglomeration and rearrangement of C Si$_{\text{i}}$ is needed to turn C$_{\text{s}}$ into highly mobile C$_{\text{i}}$ again.
+Since the conversion of a coherent SiC structure, i.e. C$_{\text{s}}$ occupying the Si lattice sites of one of the two fcc lattices that build up the c-Si diamond lattice, into incoherent SiC is accompanied by a reduction in volume, large amount of strain is assumed to reside in the coherent as well as incoherent structure.
+Si$_{\text{i}}$ serves either as supply of Si atoms needed in the surrounding of the contracted precipitates or as interstitial defect minimizing the emerging strain energy of a coherent precipitate.
+The latter has been directly identified in the present simulation study, i.e. structures of two C$_{\text{s}}$ atoms with one being slightly displaced by a next neighbored Si$_{\text{i}}$ atom.
+
+It is, thus, concluded that precipitation occurs by successive agglomeration of C$_{\text{s}}$ as already proposed by Nejim et~al.\cite{nejim95}.
+This agrees well with a previous ab inito study on defects in C implanted Si\cite{zirkelbach10b}, which showed C$_{\text{s}}$ to occur in all probability.
+However, agglomeration and rearrangement is enabled by mobile C$_{\text{i}}$, which has to be present at the same time and is formed by recombination of C$_{\text{s}}$ and Si$_{\text{i}}$.
+In contrast to assumptions of an abrupt precipitation of an agglomerate of C$_{\text{i}}$\cite{werner96,werner97,eichhorn99,lindner99_2,koegler03}, however, structural evolution is believed to occur by a successive occupation of usual Si lattice sites with substitutional C.
+This mechanism satisfies the experimentally observed alignment of the \hkl(h k l) planes of the precipitate and the substrate, whereas there is no obvious reason for the topotactic orientation of an agglomerate consisting exclusively of C-Si dimers, which would necessarily involve a much more profound change in structure for the transition into SiC.
% ----------------------------------------------------
\section*{Acknowledgment}
projects / lectures / latex.git / blobdiff