Elastic Modulus Investigation of Gallium Nitride Nanotubes

In this study, we analyzed gallium nitride nanotubes which were formed highly oriented on a c-axis perpendicular to substrate surface by using nanoindentation technique. We were focusing experimental observations on the nanomechanical properties. The behavior of the gallium nitride nanotube breakage accompanying with compression test was examined using a nanoindentation system enabling the application of compressive force to the nanotubes homogeneously. The buckling energy of compression for a single gallium nitride nanotube had been measured. The corresponding value of elastic modulus of gallium nitride nanotube was also characterized. With comparing to thin film nanoindentation experiment, the elastic modulus of gallium nitride nanotubes in this experiment was shift from that in bulk-crystal of gallium nitride