Stability and electronic properties of AlN nanotubes under the influence of external electric field

Zigzag and armchair single-walled aluminum nitride nanotubes, with diameters ranging from 5 Å to 15 Å, under the influence of perpendicular external electric fields, are studied using first-principle calculations. Through the analysis of the formation energy it is observed that tubes with larger diameters are energetically favored when compared to smaller ones. Also, it is shown that the electric fields up to 0.5 V/Å have little influence on the stability of aluminum nitride nanotubes. Regarding the electronic structure, it was found that the larger the diameter of the tubes the greater the response to the electric field application, with a significant bandgap reduction up to 2.5 eV.