[SY-E2] Effect of Twins on Mechanical Properties of Silicon Nanowires
The yield strength and tensile ductility of metals can be effectively increased by the existence of nano twins, leading to a significant ductile-to-brittle transition in Au, for example. Similarly, in experiments, silicon nanorods or nanowires containing twins have also been reported. Using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, a modified embedded-atom-method (MEAM) potential was used to systematically study twinned silicon nanowires (SiNWs) with different shapes, in order to characterize the effect of twins on their mechanical properties. Our results indicate that twins improve the yield strength and tensile ductility of SiNWs, which contribute to the further understanding of mechanical responses of low-dimensional silicon materials, and certify that they have promising potential applications in the design and manufacture of silicon-based nano devices.