| Abstract Scope |
Dislocations in ionic crystals (including ionic semiconductors) can carry charges. In this presentation, I present observations of (1) dislocation motion controlled solely by using an external electric field in NaCl – electrical annealing. (2) I will provide both experimental evidence and atomic simulations for reduced dislocation mobility in semiconductors under UV light. By combining photo-nanoindentation, and atomic simulations, we visualized dislocation distribution in both darkness and under illumination. (3) I will show the photo-creep behavior in ZnS and halide perovskites. (4) I reveal the non-stoichiometric nature of dislocation cores and determine their charge characteristics. Both negatively and positively charged dislocations are directly resolved, and their glide barriers decrease under an electric field, explaining the experimental observations. This study provides direct evidence of dislocation dynamics controlled by a non-mechanical stimulus and opens up the possibility of modulating dislocation-related properties. |