Frenkel pairs and impurity-defect interactions in p-type silicon irradiated with fast electrons and gamma-rays at low temperatures

Investigations of defect production and annealing in moderately and heavily doped p-Si subjected to low-temperature electron irradiation at 2.5 MeV have been made. Removal rates of charge carriers were found to be about 2 cm(-1) over the doping range studied. Recovery of the charge carrier concentration is not significant after annealing at room temperature. Substantial annealing of defects responsible for carrier removal takes place at temperatures higher than 600 K. However, recovery of the hole mobility displays puzzling behaviour. Data on removal rates of charge carriers in lightly doped p-Si subjected to low-temperature gamma-irradiation suggest that electronic excitation conditions during irradiation can strongly affect defect formation processes.