A new mechanism was suggested for the relaxation of the misfit stresses in composite nanowires (quantum wires). This was the formation of misfit dislocation loops, and the stress field of a prismatic dislocation loop in a cylinder (nanowire) was calculated. The parameters of 2-phase composite nanowires, for which the formation of misfit dislocation loops was energetically favorable, were estimated. The effect of the stress fields of dislocation loops, upon the formation of compositionally modulated nanowires, was considered.

Misfit Dislocation Loops in Composite Nanowires. I.A.Ovidko, A.G.Sheinerman: Philosophical Magazine, 2004, 84[20], 2103-18