Si self-interstitial injection from Sb complex formation in Si

It has recently been established that Si self-interstitials are generated during annealing of high-concentration Sb layers in Si. In the present work, we make use of samples grown with molecular-beam epitaxy. We monitor, at different times and temperatures, the diffusion enhancement or retardation of deep B or Sb marker layers next to a ${\text{1.1×10}}^{20}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\text{−3}}$ Sb box, as well as the formation of Sb precipitates within the box. It is concluded that the interstitials are not associated with precipitate growth, but that they are generated from formation of Sb-vacancy complexes, primarily involving 2 Sb atoms.