Noncrystalline Structures of Ultrathin Unsupported Nanowires

摘要: Computer simulations suggest that ultrathin metal wires should develop exotic, non-crystalline stable atomic structures, once their diameter decreases below a critical size of the order few spacings. The new whose details depend upon material and wire thickness, may be dominated by icosahedral packings. Helical, spiral-structured with multi-atom pitches are also predicted. phenomenon, analogous to appearance other shapes in small clusters, can rationalized terms surface energy anisotropy optimal packing.