On the EBIC Contrast of Dislocations in Si

EBIC contrast in correspondence of the etch-pit rows from room temperature microhardness indentations and from polishing scratches are examined with and without successive mechanical and/or thermal treatments. According to the observations clean dislocations show no contrast, contaminated dislocations show contrast which may be treated by assuming suitable boundary conditions consistent with the existence of space charge cylinders around the dislocations. Contrast bands observed in correspondence of etch-pit rows after suitable treatments are related to point defects introduced together with the dislocations. Relative contrast of screw and edge character dislocations is deduced from the different visibility of half-loop arms.