Whereabouts of missing atoms in a laser-injected Si (part IV): interaction of plasma Si with dislocations in a laser-injected Si

The interaction of dislocations with plasma Si in a laser-injected Si was studied comprehensively using a combination of in-situ and ex-situ heating experiments in 200 kV electron microscopes and in a high-voltage electron microscope (HVEM). When dislocations were observed at 200 kV, i.e. virtually in the absence of electron irradiation, no evidence of the interaction between dislocations and plasma Si was obtained even when the observation was carried out at temperatures as high as 1250 degrees C. However, when observed at 1000 kV in an HVEM, definite evidence of interaction was obtained even when the observation was carried out at room temperature. It is concluded that a combination of laser injection and electron irradiation is essential for the interaction to take place.