The results of deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) and minority carrier transient spectroscopy (MCTS) investigations on directly bonded n- and p-type silicon wafers with small twist misorientation angles ranging from 1 to 5 degrees are presented and discussed. Both shallow and deep levels in the upper half of a band gap are found and a good correspondence between the DLTS and MCTS data on n- and p-type samples was established. The dependence of DLTS-peak magnitude on twist and tilt misorientation angles (density of dislocations) was investigated and the origin of different levels is suggested. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd 2011.