Creation of lattice defects in the bulk and at the surface of alkali halide crystals

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Abstract
When a conduction electron is recaptured in the coulomb field of a self-trapped hole, it is strongly attracted to the site of the halogen molecular ion on which the hole resides, and particularly to the alkali neighbors, but not to the halogen atom core. We will consider how the electron can effectively force the halogen from its site. The interaction thus generates a lattice vacancy which the electron occupies to form an F center, and an interstitial halogen atom. If this occurs very near the surface, ejection of the halogen atom from the crystal may be the result. This defect generation process now accounts for a wide variety of observations.