Semiconductor behavior of pentagonal silver nanowires measured under mechanical deformation

In the present work, electrical measurements using in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) on pentagonal silver nanowires were performed. Electrical biasing was applied to individual nanowires with and without simultaneous in situ TEM mechanical deformation. The response of the ohmic resistance was measured in the I-V curves. A reduction in the break voltage and the resistance was measured, when the nanowires were subjected to a bending deformation. In situ electric measurements on both, with and without deformation, show a typical semiconductor behavior. Surface scattering of electrons in the nanowires and movement of dislocations act as the main causes of the electrical properties reported herein. In this way, the determination of the surface morphology was carried out by using off-axis electron holography followed by a phase reconstruction and structural modeling. The high Miller-index facets were determined to be the (533) stepped surface plane on all five longitudinal sides of the nanowires. Additionally, due to electrical saturation, a breakdown of the nanowires was observed during the in situ electrical measurements without mechanical deformation. Graphical abstract