title: Flexible germanium nanowires: ideal strength, room temperature plasticity, and bendable semiconductor fabric.
abstract: The mechanical strengths of individual germanium (Ge) nanowires with 111 growth direction and diameters ranging from 23 to 97 nm were measured by bending each with a robotic nanomanipulator in a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The nanowires tolerate diameter-dependent flexural strains of up to 17% prior to fracture, which is more than 2 orders of magnitude higher than bulk Ge. The corresponding bending strength of 18 GPa is in agreement with the ideal strength of 14-20 GPa for a perfect Ge crystal. Nanowires also exhibited plastic deformation at room temperature, becoming amorphous at the point of maximum strain. A bendable, nonwoven fabric, or paper, of Ge nanowires is demonstrated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas Materials Institute, and Center for Nano- and Molecular Science and Technology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712-1062, USA.
authors.forename: Damon A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Vincent C
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Holmberg
authors.forename: Brian A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Korgel