ANTIPHASE BOUNDARIES IN SEMICONDUCTING COMPOUNDS

Within crystals of semiconducting compounds regions can exist between which reversals of crystallographic polarity occur. These regions are antiphase domains. Antiphase boundaries (APBs) are crystallographic defect surfaces and type 2 APBs incorporate non-stoichiometric excess atoms of one of the constitutents of the compound. The geometry of APBs and their interactions with grain boundaries and with dislocations in semiconducting compounds with the sphalerite structure are treated and the properties of APBs are discussed. The evidence for their existence is reviewed and the techniques available for their study are outlined. © 1969.