Quantum necking in stressed metallic nanowires

J. Bürki, Raymond E. Goldstein, C. A. Stafford

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

26 Scopus citations

Abstract

When a macroscopic metallic wire is subject to tensile stress, it necks down smoothly as it elongates. We show that nanowires with radii comparable to the Fermi wavelength display remarkably different behavior. Using concepts from fluid dynamics, a partial differential equation for nanowire shape evolution is derived from a semiclassical energy functional that includes electron-shell effects. A rich dynamics involving movement and interaction of kinks connecting locally stable radii is found, and a new class of universal equilibrium shapes is predicted.

Original languageEnglish (US)
JournalPhysical review letters
Volume91
Issue number25
DOIs
StatePublished - 2003

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Physics and Astronomy

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