Identification of interstitial- and vacancy-type dislocation loops in ion-implanted silicon

A quick method of distinguishing between vacancy-type and interstitial-type dislocation loops is described which is applicable to foils near <111> orientation and loops in the size range which gives rise to double-arc contrast. This method utilizes the Kikuchi line pattern and some general rules concerning electron diffraction contrast from small loops. With this method, small prismatic loops in As+-implanted silicon have been shown to be of interstitial type.