In situ probing electrical response on bending of ZnO nanowires inside transmission electron microscope

In situ electrical transport measurements on individual bent ZnO nanowires have been performed inside a high-resolution transmission electron microscope, where the crystal structures of ZnO nanowires were simultaneously imaged. A series of consecutively recorded current-voltage (I-V) curves along with an increase in nanowire bending show the striking effect of bending on their electrical behavior. The bending-induced changes of resistivity, electron concentration, and carrier mobility of ZnO nanowires have been retrieved based on the experimental I-V data, which suggests the applications of ZnO nanowires as nanoelectromechanical sensors. (c) 2008 American Institute of Physics.