\chapter{Point defects in silicon}
+\label{chapter:defects}
Given the conversion mechnism of SiC in crystalline silicon introduced in section \ref{section:assumed_prec} the understanding of carbon and silicon interstitial point defects in c-Si is of great interest.
Both types of defects are examined in the following both by classical potential as well as density functional theory calculations.
The method without updating the constraints but still applying them to all atoms shows a delayed crossing of the saddle point.
This is understandable since the update results in a more aggressive advance towards the final configuration.
In any case the barrier obtained is slightly higher, which means that it does not constitute an energetically more favorable pathway.
-The method in which the constraints are only applied to the diffusing C atom and two Si atoms, ... {\color{red}in progress} ...
+The method in which the constraints are only applied to the diffusing C atom and two Si atoms, ... {\color{red}Todo: does not work!} ...
\subsection{Migration barriers obtained by classical potential calculations}
\label{subsection:defects:mig_classical}
In the first migration path it is the configuration resulting from further relaxation of the rather unstable bond-centered configuration, which is fixed to be a transition point in the migration calculations.
The last two pathways show configurations almost identical to the \hkl<1 1 0> configuration, which constitute a local minimum within the pathway.
Thus, migration pathways with the \hkl<1 1 0> C-Si dumbbell interstitial configuration as a starting or final configuration are further investigated.
-\begin{figure}[ht!]
+\begin{figure}[!ht]
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=13cm]{110_mig.ps}
\end{center}
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 energies to obtain separated C confs currently in progress - could be added in the combined defect migration chapter and mentioned here, too!}
+{\color{red}Todo: Activation energies to obtain separated C confs FAILED (again?) - 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.
The ground state of a single Si self-interstitial was found to be the Si \hkl<1 1 0> self-interstitial configuration.
For the follwoing study the same type of self-interstitial is assumed to provide the energetically most favorable configuration in combination with substitutional C.
-\begin{table}[ht!]
+\begin{table}[!ht]
\begin{center}
\begin{tabular}{l c c c c c c}
\hline
\caption{Equivalent configurations of \hkl<1 1 0>-type Si self-interstitials created at position I of figure \ref{fig:defects:pos_of_comb} and substitutional C created at positions 1 to 5.}
\label{tab:defects:comb_csub_si110}
\end{table}
-\begin{table}[ht!]
+\begin{table}[!ht]
\begin{center}
\begin{tabular}{l c c c c c c c c c c}
\hline
\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=12cm]{c_sub_si110.ps}
\end{center}
-\caption{Binding energy of combinations of a substitutional C and a Si \hkl<1 1 0> dumbbell self-interstitial with respect to the separation distance.}
+\caption[Binding energy of combinations of a substitutional C and a Si \hkl<1 1 0> dumbbell self-interstitial with respect to the separation distance.]{Binding energy of combinations of a substitutional C and a Si \hkl<1 1 0> dumbbell self-interstitial with respect to the separation distance. The binding energy of the defect pair is well approximated by a Lennard-Jones 6-12 potential, which is used for curve fitting.}
\label{fig:defects:csub_si110}
\end{figure}
According to the formation energies none of the investigated structures is energetically preferred over the C-Si \hkl<1 0 0> dumbbell interstitial, which exhibits a formation energy of 3.88 eV.
Thus, the C-Si \hkl<1 0 0> dumbbell structure remains the ground state configuration of a C interstitial in c-Si with a constant number of Si atoms.
{\color{blue}
-However the binding energy quickly drops to zero with respect of the distance indicating a possibly low interaction capture radius of the defect pair.
+However the binding energy quickly drops to zero with respect to the distance, which is reinforced by the Lennard-Jones fit estimating almost zero interaction energy already at 0.6 nm.
+This indicates a possibly low interaction capture radius of the defect pair.
Highly energetic collisions in the IBS process might result in separations of these defects exceeding the capture radius.
For this reason situations most likely occur in which the configuration of substitutional C can be considered without a nearby interacting Si self-interstitial and, thus, unable to form a thermodynamically more stable C-Si \hkl<1 0 0> dumbbell configuration.
}
+\label{section:defects:noneq_process_01}
The energetically most favorable configuration of the combined structures is the one with the substitutional C atom located next to the \hkl<1 1 0> interstitial along the \hkl<1 1 0> direction (configuration \RM{1}).
Compressive stress along the \hkl<1 1 0> direction originating from the Si \hkl<1 1 0> self-intesrtitial is partially compensated by tensile stress resulting from substitutional C occupying the neighboured Si lattice site.
The substitutional C is located next to the lattice site shared by the \hkl<1 1 0> Si self-interstitial along the \hkl<1 -1 0> direction.
Thus, the compressive stress along \hkl<1 1 0> of the Si \hkl<1 1 0> interstitial is not compensated but intensified by the tensile stress of the substitutional C atom, which is no longer loacted along the direction of stress.
-{\color{red}Todo: Mig of C-Si DB conf to or from C sub + Si 110 int conf.}
+{\color{red}Todo: Erhart/Albe calc for most and less favorable configuration!}
+
+{\color{red}Todo: Mig of C-Si DB conf to or from C sub + Si 110 in progress.}
+
+{\color{red}Todo: Mig of Si DB located next to a C sub (also by MD!).}
\section{Migration in systems of combined defects}
Due to this and due to the formation of new bonds, that is the bond of silicon atom number 1 to silicon atom number 5 and the bond of the carbon atom to its siliocn neighbour in the bottom left, a less steep increase of free energy is observed.
At a displacement of approximately 30 \% the bond of silicon atom number 1 to the just recently created siliocn atom is broken up again, which explains the repeated boost in energy.
Finally the system gains energy relaxing into the configuration of zero displacement.
+{\color{red}Todo: Direct migration of C in progress.}
Due to the low binding energy observed, the configuration of the vacancy created at position 3 is assumed to be stable against transition.
However, a relatively simple migration path exists, which intuitively seems to be a low energy process.
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.
+\label{section:defects:noneq_process_02}
{\color{blue}
In addition, there are experimental findings, which might be exploited to reinforce the non-validity of the proposed precipitation model.
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