Surface Stress in nano-oxides and what it tell us

Surface stress of solid surfaces and interfaces is ubiquitous, but has not often been modeled/calculated. In this short talk, experimental results definitely prove that surface stress exists in nanocrystals and can be modified with adsorbents affecting the material’s basic properties such as stiffness and thermal expansion. It is particularly influential in surface/interface dominated systems such as thin films and nanoparticles. Whether we choose to deal with it, it will often spring surprises on us during processing for advanced architecture in novel device integration.