A vacancy is most simple crystal lattice defect imaginable. It is simply a missing atom in the base of a crystal; below a schematic drawing for an fcc crystal with one atom in the base. | |||
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Vacancies play an important role for the diffusion of atoms in crystals and thus for all of metal, semiconductor and ceramic technology. Atoms move by jumping into neighboring vacancies; this leads to a net flux of atoms and a (opposite) flux of vacancies. | |||
1.3.3 The larger View and Complications
© H. Föll (Defects - Script)