Towards a full model of non-linear piezolectricity in ZnO nanowires

Due to its piezoelectric and semiconductive properties, ZnO is actively investigated for the development of innovative nanostructures for applications ranging from piezotronics to energy harvesting. In the present paper we develop a full model for the non-linear piezoelectricity in ZnO nanowires, where both direct and inverse non-linear piezoelectric effects are accounted for. The preliminary results show for the first time the importance of non-linear effects on the electro-mechanic behavior of nanowires especially when used for piezotronic applications.