Direct observation of acoustic oscillations in InAs nanowires

Simon Oddsson Mariager, Dmitry Khakhulint, Henrik T. Lemket, Kasper S. Kjært, Laurent Guerin, Laura Nuccio, Claus Birger Sørensen, Martin Meedom Nielsen, Robert Krarup Feidenhans'l

36 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Time-resolved X-ray diffraction and optical reflectivity are used to directly measure three different acoustic oscillations of InAs nanowires. The oscillations are excited by a femtosecond laser pulse and evolve at three different time scales. We measure the absolute scale of the initial radial expansion of the fundamental breathing eigenmode and determine the frequency by transient optical reflectivity. For the extensional eigenmode we measure the oscillations of the average radial and axial lattice constants and determine the amplitude of oscillations and the average extension. Finally we observe a bending motion of the nanowires. The frequencies of the eigenmodes are in good agreements with predictions made by continuum elasticity theory and we find no difference in the speed of sound between the wurtzite nanowires and cubic bulk crystals, but the measured strain is influenced by the interaction between different modes. The wurtzite crystal structure of the nanowires however has an anisotropic thermal expansion.

Original languageEnglish
JournalNano Letters
Volume10
Issue number7
Pages (from-to)2461-2465
Number of pages4
ISSN1530-6984
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 14 Jul 2010

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Direct observation of acoustic oscillations in InAs nanowires'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this