Transmission electron microscopy and molecular dynamics study of the formation of suspended copper linear atomic chains

We report high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and molecular dynamics simulation results of mechanically stretching nanowires leading to linear atomic suspended chain (LAC) formation. In contrast with some previous experimental and theoretical works in the literature that stated that the formation of LAC's for copper should be unlikely our results showed the existence of LAC's for the [111], [110], and [100] crystallographic directions, being thus the sequence of most probable occurrence. Our results clearly indicate that temperture and pulling velocity, associated with internal stress, are fundamental aspects to determine LAC formation.