Electronic structure of metal nanocrystals containing disclinations

The spatial distribution of conduction electrons and the energy spectrum of a single electron are investigated in a cylindrical metal sample of nanometer dimensions containing a straight wedge disclination running along the axis of the cylinder. It is shown that the strain field of the disclination causes some of the conduction electrons to become localized around the disclination line (positive disclination) or near the lateral surface of the cylinder (negative disclination). The size-quantized spectrum of localized electronic states differs significantly from the equidistant electron spectrum obtained without the disclination. The feasibility of detecting disclinations experimentally in particles of a metal powder in the investigation of its specific heat and its x-ray emission and photoemission spectra is discussed.