Wave propagation in nonlocal piezo-photo-hygrothermoelastic semiconductors subjected to heat and moisture flux

Abstract This research explores the propagation characteristics of piezo-photo-hygrothermoelastic waves in orthotropic semiconductor materials by incorporating the effect of nonlocal elasticity. The proposed model describes the complex interactions between piezoelectricity, photothermal excitation, plasma wave transport, and hygrothermal diffusion under continuous heat and moisture fluxes while accounting for the influence of spatial nonlocality on the elastic response. The nonlocal parameter is introduced into the elastic constitutive relation to capture the size-dependent and dispersive nature of elastic waves, which is essential for semiconductor devices operating at small scales. The study develops a generalized system of coupled equations involving the elastic, thermal, moisture, and plasma fields, all integrated within the framework of nonlocal piezo-photo-hygrothermoelasticity. The system is analytically solved using the normal mode technique to derive expressions for temperature distribution, moisture concentration, carrier density, electric potential, displacement fields, and stresses. Numerical simulations are carried out for the cadmium selenide (CdSe) semiconductor material. The results show that the nonlocal parameter significantly modifies the wave amplitudes, attenuation characteristics, and coupling between the involved physical fields. The proposed model offers valuable insights into the dynamic behavior of semiconductor devices subjected to coupled thermo-mechanical–electrical–moisture interactions, especially when nonlocal effects become significant due to micro- and nanoscale dimensions.