title: Eshelby twist and magic helical zinc oxide nanowires and nanotubes.
abstract: Twisted zinc oxide nanowires and nanotubes were recently synthesized by screw-dislocation growth. We show theoretically that once their diameter increases above a critical size of the order of a few atomic spacings, the existence of these structures can be rationalized in terms of the energetics of surfaces and veritable Eshelby's twist linear elasticity mechanics supplemented by a nonlinear core term. For Burgers vector larger than the minimum allowed one, a twisted nanotube with well-defined thickness, rather than a nanowire, is the most stable nanostructure. Results are assistive for designing ultrathin nanostructures made out of nonlayered materials.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Akatyeva
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dumitrică