Nanodisturbances in deformed nanowires

A new physical mechanism of plastic deformation in nanowires is suggested and theoretically described. This mechanism represents formation of near-surface nanodisturbances – nanoscopic areas of plastic shear with tiny shear vectors – in deformed nanowires. We calculated the energy characteristics for nanodisturbance formation and compared them with those for conventional dislocation generation. It is shown that the nanodisturbance deformation mode tends to dominate in Au nanowires deformed at high stresses and zero temperature.