Theory of defects and defect processes

Abstract

Most studies of imperfect solids concentrate on the properties of individual isolated defects. These include electronic structure, formation energies and diffusion parameters of point defects and point defect aggregates. Many physical phenomena are determined by defect processes, in which defects interact or the defect state of the lattice evolves. Such phenomena include the radiation damage process and subsequent development of microstructure, the matter and charge transport in the growth of oxide films, the recombination—or ionization—assisted diffusion in many systems, and a range of degradation mechanisms. These and other examples are discussed. The emphasis is on those cases where quantitative theory can unravel phenomena which experiment alone cannot easily do, notably those situations where the time scales are inconvenient or the system too complex for easy experimental analysis.