Modeling Metallic Precipitate Dissolution in Silicon Under Point Defect Injection: Final Subcontract Report, 20 January 2004--19 January 2005

We have formulated the problem of gettering of metallic precipitates in Si for which there exists a volume misfit between the precipitate and the Si matrix material. The gettering process is modeled using an Al-Si liquid layer, and the volume misfit associated with dissolving the precipitates is assumed as accommodated by point defects, which may be dominated by vacancies (V), self-interstitials(I), or both contributing. Under the condition that V and I attained dynamical equilibrium, we found that for analytic purposes, the problem reduces to either the V or the I alone case, with the fast-diffusing case dominating. Our initial simulation results on gettering of FeSi2 (with a misfit of -0.15) showed that the process can be sped up by the injection of V.