Observation of the Smallest Metal Nanotube with Square-cross-section

Abstract

Understanding the mechanical properties of nanoscale systems requires a range of measurement techniques and theoretical approaches to gather the relevant physical and chemical information. The arrangements of atoms in nanostructures and macroscopic matter can be different, principally due to the role of surface energy, but the interplay between atomic and electronic structure in association with applied mechanical stress can also lead to surprising differences. For example, metastable structures such as suspended chains of atoms and helical wires have been produced by the stretching of metal junctions. Here we report the spontaneous formation of the smallest possible metal nanotube with a square cross-section during the elongation of silver nanocontacts. Ab initio calculations and molecular simulations indicate that the hollow wire forms because this configuration allows the surface energy to be minimized, and also generates a soft structure capable of absorbing a huge tensile deformation.

References in corpus (9)

• The SIESTA method for ab initio order-N materials simulation
• Efficient index handling of multidimensional periodic boundary conditions
• Quantum properties of atomic-sized conductors
• Formation and manipulation of a metallic wire of single gold atoms
• Non-Crystalline Structures of Ultra-Thin Unsupported Nanowires
• Quantum Conductance in Silver Nanowires: correlation between atomic structure and transport properties
• Persistent currents in carbon nanotubes based rings
• The role of structural evolution on the quantum conductance behavior of gold nanowires during stretching
• Is Small Perfect? Size Limit to Defect Formation in Pyramidal Pt Nanocontacts

Cited by in corpus (4)

• The Role of Polytetrahedral Structures in the Elongation and Rupture of Gold Nanowires
• Surface Effects on the Mechanical Elongation of AuCu Nanowires: De-alloying and the Formation of Mixed Suspended Atomic Chains
• Species Fractionation in Atomic Chains from Mechanically Stretched Alloys
• Correlation between Quantum Conductance and Atomic Arrangement of Silver Atomic-Size Nanowires