Defects within nanowires were significantly reduced in number by annealing (1100C, 6h). High-resolution transmission electron microscopy showed that stacking faults and twins were annihilated during annealing. In particular, the tips of the nanowires had perfect lattices, which were free of defects after annealing. Raman spectra also confirmed that the bulk of the specimen was almost defect-free.

A Simple Route to Annihilating Defects in Silicon Nanowires. Y.H.Tang, Y.F.Zheng, C.S.Lee, S.T.Lee: Chemical Physics Letters, 2000, 328[4-6], 346-9