Atomic-scale observation of parallel development of super elasticity and reversible plasticity in GaAs nanowires.

We report the atomic-scale observation of parallel development of super elasticity and reversible dislocation-based plasticity from an early stage of bending deformation until fracture in GaAs nanowires. While this phenomenon is in sharp contrast to the textbook knowledge, it is expected to occur widely in nanostructures. This work indicates that the super recoverable deformation in nanomaterials is not simple elastic or reversible plastic deformation in nature, but the coupling of both. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]