The role of elastic stresses in the formation of nitride nanowires with cubic crystalline structure

A new theoretical explanation of the growth of nitride nanowires (NWs) in a metastable cubic crystalline phase (sphalerite) is proposed. It is shown that the allowance for elastic stresses can explain the growth of single-crystalline nitride NWs with a cubic crystalline lattice. The possibility of growing GaN nanowires in a metastable phase on sapphire substrates is considered.