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Silicon nitride crystal structure and observations of lattice defects

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Abstract

In view of the considerable progress that has been made over the last 40 years on the microstructural design of silicon nitride and related materials of tailored properties for specific applications, a clear review of the current understanding of the crystal structure and crystal chemistry of silicon nitride is timely. The crystal structures, crystal chemistry, and lattice defect nature of silicon nitride are critically reviewed and discussed, with emphasis placed firstly on the structural nature of α-silicon nitride (whether it is a pure silicon nitride, or should better be regarded as an oxynitride); and secondly on the space group of β-silicon nitride (whether it is P63/m or P63). In conjunction with recent observations of vacancy clusters in α-silicon nitride, a comprehensive view compatible with all the experimental facts with respect to the structural nature of α-silicon nitride is tentatively presented.

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Author notes

  1. Chong -Min Wang

    Present address: National Institute for Research in Inorganic Materials, Namiki 1-1, Tsukuba, 305, Ibaraki, Japan

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Max-Planck-Institut für Metallforschung, Institut für Werkstoffwinssenschaft, See Str. 92, D-70174, Stuttgart, Germany

    Chong -Min Wang, Xiaoqing Pan & M. Rühle

  2. School of Materials, The University of Leeds, LS2 9JT, Leeds, UK

    F. L. Riley

  3. National Institute for Research in Inorganic Materials, Namiki 1-1, Tsukuba, 305, Ibaraki, Japan

    M. Mitomo

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Wang, C.M., Pan, X., Rühle, M. et al. Silicon nitride crystal structure and observations of lattice defects. J Mater Sci 31, 5281–5298 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01159294

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