Chemical Interactions Among Defects in Germanium and Silicon

Interactions among defects in germanium and silicon have been investigated. The solid solutions involved bear a strong resemblance to aqueous solutions insofar as they represent media for chemical reactions. Such phenomena as acid-base neutralization, complex ion formation, and ion pairing, all take place. These phenomena, besides being of interest in themselves, are useful in studying the properties of the semiconductors in which they occur. The following article is a blend of theory and experiment, and describes developments in this field during the past few years.