Dislocation sources and slip band nucleation from indents on silicon wafers

The nucleation of dislocations at controlled indents in silicon during rapid thermal annealing has been studied by in situ X-ray diffraction imaging (topography). Concentric loops extending over pairs of inclined {111} planes were formed, the velocities of the inclined and parallel segments being almost equal. Following loss of the screw segment from the wafer, the velocity of the inclined segments almost doubled, owing to removal of the line tension of the screw segments. The loops acted as obstacles to slip band propagation.