It was recalled that the obtention of defined dislocation networks by means of hydrophobic wafer-bonding permitted the electrical characterization of individual dislocations. The properties of such dislocations were investigated here in samples which contained high dislocation densities, or as few as 6 dislocations. The current introduced by a single dislocation was determined by extrapolating the currents measured for various dislocation densities. Based upon the present, and previous, results the electronic properties of individual dislocations could be deduced. The investigations showed that dislocations in the channel of a metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistors resulted in an increasing drain current, even at low drain and gate voltages. Because the maximum increase in the current was obtained if a single dislocation was present, arrays of such transistors - each containing only one dislocation - could be obtained at the nm scale. The separation of the dislocations could be well controlled by means of wafer-bonding techniques.

Dislocation-Based Si-Nanodevices. M.Reiche, M.Kittler, D.Buca, A.Hähnel, Q.T.Zhao, S.Mantl, U.Gösele: Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, 2010, 49, 04DJ02