Thermo-opto-mechanical properties of AlN nanostructures: a promising material for NEMS applications

The properties of aluminium nitride (AlN) are investigated at the nanoscale for different shapes of nanostructures. Spherical nanoparticles, cylindrical nanowires and nanofilms are the considered shapes. The size and shape effects on the creep temperature, melting temperature, residual stress and energy bandgap are discussed. The creep behaviour of AlN is analysed and compared with aluminium (Al) pure metal. The higher creep resistance of AlN is demonstrated. The transition from inverse Hall–Petch to the Hall–Petch relation is found to be around ∼15–18 nm in agreement with other authors. The energy bandgap of AlN nanostructures is blue-shifted with the size reduction and the shape of the nanostructure, according to the following relation: E g (nanoparticle) > E g (nanowire) > E g (nanofilm).