Influence of exponentially increasing surface elasticity on the piezoelectric potential of a bent ZnO nanowire

Abstract

Abstract The influence of surface elasticity on the piezoelectric potential of a bent ZnO nanowire is investigated using a modified core–shell (MC–S) model in which it is assumed that the elasticity in the shell (surface region) is an exponentially increasing function. Specifically, we analyse the effects of the nanowire radius and applied force on the piezoelectric potential with and without the surface elasticity effect, as well as the influence of surface elasticity on the deflection of the nanowire. The results demonstrate that both the nanowire radius and the applied force are key factors affecting the piezoelectric potential, and that the effect of surface elasticity is even more important, which should not be ignored, especially for dimensions below 100 nm.