A new approach to the preparation of twist-type bicrystals and compliant substrates was reported. Thin monocrystalline films which were prepared from a Si-on-insulator wafer could be bonded to each other or to Si substrates. Thousands of Si bicrystals, bonded at differing twist angles, could be obtained in a single preparation process and were ready for transmission electron microscopic examination. Plan-view and high-resolution cross-sectional transmission electron microscopic images of bicrystals were presented, and dislocation network and moiré fringes of small-angle twist-type Si boundaries were obtained. This technique facilitated the systematic study of small-angle and large-angle grain-boundary structures.

Twist-Type Silicon Bicrystals and Compliant Substrates Prepared from Silicon-on-Insulator Wafers C.Chen, K.N.Tu, C.H.Tung, T.T.Sheng, A.Ploessl, R.Scholz, U.Gösele: Philosophical Magazine A, 2000, 80[4], 881-91