A

David

Darling

dislocation (in a crystal)

dislocation in a crystal lattice

Section of a crystal lattice including an edge dislocation (A) and a screw dislocation (B).


A dislocation is a crystal defect in which the normal crystal lattice is distorted (e.g., by the interposition of an extra half plane of atoms – an edge dislocation.) The type and number of dislocations in a crystal help to determine its electrical and mechanical properties.