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Atomistic Simulations of the Size, Orientation and Temperature Dependence of Tensile Behavior in GaN Nanowires

Journal Article · · Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics, 76(4):Art. No. 045310

Molecular dynamics simulations with Stillinger-Weber potentials were used to study the response of wurtzite-type single crystalline GaN nanowires to a tensile strain along the axial direction. Nanowires with axial orientations along the [0001], [1 00] and [11 0] crystallographic directions, which correspond to experimentally synthesized nanowires, were studied. The results reveal that the nanowires with different axial orientations show distinctly different deformation behavior under loading. The brittle to ductile transition (BDT) was observed in the nanowires oriented along the [0001] direction and the BDT temperatures lie in the temperature range between 1500 and 1800 K. The nanowires oriented along the [11 0] direction exhibit slip in the {01 0} planes; whereas the nanowires oriented along the [1 00] direction fracture in a cleavage manner under tensile loading. It should be emphasized that multiple yield stresses were observed during different stages in the [11 0]-oriented nanowires. In general, Young's modulus of the GaN nanowires decreases with decreasing diameter of the nanowires.

Research Organization:
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (US), Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
AC05-76RL01830
OSTI ID:
917580
Report Number(s):
PNNL-SA-55985; 8208; KC0201020
Journal Information:
Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics, 76(4):Art. No. 045310, Journal Name: Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics, 76(4):Art. No. 045310 Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 76
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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