Influence of Phase Transformations on Incipient Plasticity of Si-Nanospheres

Our finding of the current spike effect highlighted for the first time in 2009 offers an enhanced understanding of the link between nanoscale mechanical deformation and electrical behavior, and ultimately suggests key advances in unique phase-change applications in future electronics. Certainly, crystal imperfections affect the properties of the nanoparticles themselves, e.g., their biocompatibility and biodegradability. The potential role of dislocations having a profound impact on the use of Si nanoparticles was largely overlooked, since plastic deformation of bulk Si is dominated by amorphization and phase transformations. Here we show an effect of bulk -> nanoparticle transition (deconfinement) on incipient plasticity of Si-nanovolume. Our results provide a fresh insight into the dilemma concerning dislocation or phase transformation origin of nanoscale plastic deformation of semiconductor nanoobjects.