Influence of surface scattering on the thermal properties of spatially confined GaN nanofilm

Gallium nitride(GaN), the notable representative of third generation semiconductors, has been widely applied to optoelectronic and microelectronic devices due to its excellent physical and chemical properties. In this paper, we investigate the surface scattering effect on the thermal properties of GaN nanofilms. The contribution of surface scattering to phonon transport is involved in solving a Boltzmann transport equation(BTE). The confined phonon properties of GaN nanofilms are calculated based on the elastic model. The theoretical results show that the surface scattering effect can modify the cross-plane phonon thermal conductivity of GaN nanostructures completely, resulting in the significant change of size effect on the conductivity in GaN nanofilm. Compared with the quantum confinement effect, the surface scattering leads to the order-of-magnitude reduction of the cross-plane thermal conductivity in GaN nanofilm. This work could be helpful for controlling the thermal properties of Ga N nanostructures in nanoelectronic devices through surface engineering.     

Macroscopic polarization and thermal conductivity of GaN

We theoretically investigated the effect of macroscopic polarization (sum of spontaneous and piezoelectric polarization) on the thermal conductivity of wurtzite GaN. Macroscopic polarization contributes to the effective elastic constant of the GaN and thus modifies the phonon group velocity. We used the revised phonon velocity to estimate the Debye frequency and temperature. Different phonon scattering rates were calculated as functions of the phonon frequency. The thermal conductivity of GaN was estimated using revised parameters such as the phonon velocity and phonon relaxation rate. The revised thermal conductivity at room temperature increased from 250 to 279 W m⁻¹ K⁻¹ due to macroscopic polarization. The method we developed can be used for thermal budget calculations for GaN optoelectronic devices.     

二维Mo2C的晶格热导率的第一性原理研究

Mo2C是构建Mxene基器件的重要材料之一,对Mo2C二维材料声子输运的理解非常必要。文章结合第一性原理方法和声子玻尔兹曼输运方程,研究了二维Mo2C材料的晶格热导率。研究表明,室温下二维Mo2C导热系数非常低,其锯齿方向和扶手椅方向的晶格热导率分别为7.20 和 5.04 W/mK。计算了声学振动和光学振动模式对晶格热导率的贡献,揭示总热导率主要由面内声学横波的振动模式所贡献。还进一步计算了声子群速度、声子弛豫时间、三声子散射空间和模式格林艾森参数,发现二维Mo2C中的声子群速度和声子弛豫时间对晶格传输有重要的影响。     

Phonon spectrum and group velocities in AlN/GaN/AlN and related heterostructures

We theoretically investigated acoustic phonon spectrum and group velocities in an ultra-thin layer of wurtzite GaN embedded within two AlN cladding layers. The core GaN layer thickness has been chosen on the order of the room-temperature dominant phonon wavelength so that the phonon spectrum in such a structure is strongly modified compared to bulk. We derived equations of motion for different phonon polarizations in the anisotropic medium approximation, which allowed us to include specifics of the wurtzite lattice. Based on our model we calculated phonon density of states and phonon group velocity. Using several other example material systems, it has also been demonstrated that the phonon group velocity in the core layer can be made higher or lower than that in corresponding bulk material by a proper selection of the cladding material and its thickness. Presented results shed new light on the effect of barrier material on the phonon spectrum of heterostructures and can be used for modeling the thermal and electrical properties of such structures.     

Thermodynamics and elastic properties of Ta from first-principles calculations

<正>Within the framework of the quasiharmonic approximation,the thermodynamics and elastic properties of Ta, including phonon density of states(DOS),equation of state,linear thermal expansion coefficient,entropy,enthalpy, heat capacity,elastic constants,bulk modulus,shear modulus,Young’s modulus,microhardness,and sound velocity, are studied using the first-principles projector-augmented wave method.The vibrational contribution to Helmholtz free energy is evaluated from the first-principles phonon DOS and the Debye model.The thermal electronic contribution to Helmholtz free energy is estimated from the integration over the electronic DOS.By comparing the experimental results with the calculation results from the first-principles and the Debye model,it is found that the thermodynamic properties of Ta are depicted well by the first-principles.The elastic properties of Ta from the first-principles are consistent with the available experimental data.     

带孔硅纳米薄膜热整流及声子散射特性研究

本文基于非平衡的分子动力学模拟方法计算了带有三角形孔的硅纳米薄膜的界面热阻特性,结果表明300-1100 K范围内随着热流方向的改变,在含有三角形孔的硅纳米薄膜中存在热整流效应,热整流系数达28％.同时借助于声子波包动力学模拟方法,获得了不同频率下的纵波声子在三角形孔处的散射特性,结果表明纵波声子在散射过程中产生了横波声子,并且从三角形底部向顶部入射的声子能量透射系数比反向时平均低22％.不对称结构引起的声子透射率的差异是引起热整流效应的主要因素.     

多约束纳米结构的声子热导率模型研究

纳米技术的快速发展使得对微纳尺度导热机理的深入研究变得至关重要. 理论和实验都表明, 在纳米尺度下声子热导率将表现出尺寸效应. 基于声子玻尔兹曼方程和修正声子平均自由程的方法得到了多约束纳米结构的声子热导率模型, 可以描述多个几何约束共同作用下热导率的尺寸效应. 不同几何约束对声子输运的限制作用可以分开计算, 总体影响则通过马西森定则进行耦合. 对于热流方向的约束, 采用扩散近似的方法求解声子玻尔兹曼方程; 对于侧面边界约束, 采用修正平均自由程的方法计算边界散射对热导率的影响. 得到的模型能够预测纳米薄膜(法向和面向)及有限长度方形纳米线的热导率随相应特征尺寸的变化. 与蒙特卡罗模拟及硅纳米结构热导率实验值的对比验证了模型的正确性.     

MAX相Nb2SnC和Nb2SnN的力学和热力学性质的第一性原理计算

利用基于密度泛函理论的第一性原理,在广义梯度近似下研究了MAX相Nb₂SnC和Nb₂SnN的力学、晶格动力学、电子以及热力学性质.通过弹性常数和声子的计算,研究了Nb₂SnC和Nb₂SnN两种结构的力学稳定性和动力学稳定性;通过对Nb₂SnC和Nb₂SnN的力学性质计算,证明了它们均具有较高的体积模量和剪切性,并且说明了Nb₂SnC和Nb₂SnN是具有弹性各向异性的韧性材料.此外,通过计算电子能带结构和态密度,研究了Nb₂SnC和Nb₂SnN的电子性质和成键性质,结果表明,两个化合物均具有金属导电性和较强的共价键,而且Nb₂SnN比Nb₂SnC具有更强的金属导电性.最后利用声子色散曲线预测了热容、自由能、焓和熵等热力学性质,结果标明,计算出的熵、焓和自由能值变化符合热力学第三定律.     

表面低配位原子对声子的散射机制

由于纳米结构具有极高的表体比,声子-表面散射机制对声子的热输运性质起到关键作用.提出了表面低配位原子对声子的散射机制,并且结合量子微扰理论与键序理论推导出该机制的散射率.由于散射率正比于材料的表体比,这种散射机制对声子输运的重要性随着纳米结构尺寸的减小而增大.散射率正比于声子频率的4次方,所以这种散射机制对高频声子的作用远远强于对低频声子的作用.基于声子玻尔兹曼输运方程,计算了硅纳米薄膜和硅纳米线的热导率,发现本文模型比传统的声子-边界散射模型更接近实验值.此发现不仅有助于理解声子-表面散射的物理机制,也有助于应用声子表面工程调控纳米结构的热输运性质.     

Effect of dispersion on the phonon focusing and anisotropy of thermal conductivity of silicon single crystals in the boundary scattering regime

The effect of dispersion on the focusing of thermal phonons and on the thermal conductivity of silicon single crystals in the boundary scattering regime has been investigated. Analysis of the spectra of acoustic modes obtained for silicon single crystals from inelastic neutron scattering data has demonstrated that, upon transition from long-wavelength phonons to short-wavelength phonons, the directions of their focusing change. With an increase in temperature, this leads to a change in the anisotropy of thermal conductivity of phonons with different polarizations and, consequently, to a change in the anisotropy of the total thermal conductivity. Analysis of the temperature dependence of the thermal conductivity has revealed that the presence of extended flattened sections in the spectrum of short-wavelength transverse phonons indicates anomalously low values of the group velocity and, accordingly, a significant decrease in the contribution from these phonons to the thermal conductivity with increasing temperature. The contribution from longitudinal phonons to the thermal conductivity also significantly increases even at temperatures higher than 110 K and becomes dominant.     

A comparison study on the electronic structures,lattice dynamics and thermoelectric properties of bulk silicon and silicon nanotubes

In order to investigate the mechanism of the electron and phonon transport in a silicon nanotube(SiNT),the electronic structures,the lattice dynamics,and the thermoelectric properties of bulk silicon(bulk Si)and a SiNT have been calculated in this work using density functional theory and Boltzmann transport theory.Our results suggest that the thermal conductivity of a SiNT is reduced by a factor of 1,while its electrical conductivity is improved significantly,although the Seebeck coefficient is increased slightly as compared to those of the bulk Si.As a consequence,the figure of merit(ZT)of a SiNT at 1200 K is enhanced by 12 times from 0.08 for bulk Si to 1.10.The large enhancement in electrical conductivity originates from the largely increased density of states at the Fermi energy level and the obviously narrowed band gap.The significant reduction in thermal conductivity is ascribed to the remarkably suppressed phonon thermal conductivity caused by a weakened covalent bonding,a decreased phonon density of states,a reduced phonon vibration frequency,as well as a shortened mean free path of phonons.The other factors influencing the thermoelectric properties have also been studied from the perspective of electronic structures and lattice dynamics.     

表面共振圆环结构对Si纳米线热传导的调控

利用声子的波动性,在纳米线表面引入共振结构,可以有效阻碍声子输运.为进一步优化共振结构,本文基于平衡态分子动力学(EMD)方法,研究表面共振圆环结构的高度和宽度对Si纳米线热输运性质的影响.结果表明：随着共振圆环高度的增加,Si纳米线的热导率逐渐减小,最大减幅可达61.9%.当高度达到2nm以后,热导率基本不再变化.共振圆环宽度则对热导率的影响较小.声子色散关系中出现的平带,证实了共振圆环引起的声子共振效应;最低共振频率的变化说明了共振圆环中的声子波长决定了共振圆环高度对纳米线热导率的最大影响程度.研究进一步发现,随着共振圆环高度的增加,声学支声子对热导率贡献的比重变小.本文研究结果对高效热电材料和隔热材料的微纳结构设计提供了一种新的思路.     

Mg2Sn电子结构及热力学性质的第一性原理计算

采用基于第一性原理的赝势平面波方法系统地计算了Mg₂Sn基态的电子结构、弹性常数和热力学性质.计算结果表明Mg₂Sn的禁带宽度为0.1198eV.运用线性响应方法确定了声子色散关系和态密度,得出Mg₂Sn的热力学性质如等容比热和德拜温度.计算Mg₂Sn的热导率并与实验数据相比较. 关键词： 第一性原理 电子结构 弹性常数 热力学性质     

石墨烯的声子热学性质研究

声子是石墨烯导热过程中的主要载体,而声子的弛豫时间又是其中最基本、最重要的物理量.本文采用简正模式分解法研究了石墨烯声子的弛豫时间,并且借此分析了不同声子在导热过程中的贡献.该方法通过平衡分子动力学模拟实现,首先通过模拟得到单个声子的能量自相关函数衰减曲线,并进一步采用拟合和积分两种方法得到单个声子的弛豫时间.然后,研究了弛豫时间与波矢、频率和温度的关系.结果发现,弛豫时间随波矢的变化与对应的色散关系相近,弛豫时间与频率和温度的关系符合理论模型:1/τ=νnTm,其中声学支的n为1.56,而光学支结果较为发散,指数m对于不同声子支结果略有不同.最后,还研究了不同频率声子对导热的贡献,发现低频声子在态密度上占有绝对优势,并且其弛豫时间整体高于高频声子,所以低频声子对导热的贡献占据主导地位.     

硅纳米薄膜中声子弹道扩散导热的蒙特卡罗模拟

通过建立声子散射概率函数描述声子在输运过程中的散射,提出了一种模拟声子弹道扩散导热的蒙特卡罗方法,并将其应用于硅纳米薄膜中的稳态和瞬态弹道扩散导热过程的研究. 提出的蒙特卡罗方法对边界发射的声子束进行跟踪,根据散射概率函数模拟声子束在传播区域内经历的散射过程,并通过统计声子束的分布得到温度分布. 稳态导热过程的模拟发现,尺寸效应会引起边界温度跳跃,其值随着Knudsen数的增大而增大;计算的硅纳米薄膜的热导率随着厚度的增大而增大,与文献中的实验数据和理论模型相符. 通过瞬态导热过程的模拟得到了纳米薄膜内的温度分布随时间的变化,发现瞬态导热过程中的热波现象与空间尺度相关,材料尺寸越小,弹道输运越强,薄膜中的热波现象也越显著. 关键词： 纳米薄膜 弹道扩散导热 蒙特卡罗模拟 尺寸效应     

The effect of the electron-phonon coupling on the thermal conductivity of silicon nanowires

The thermal conductivity of free-standing silicon nanowires (SiNWs) with diameters from 1-3?nm has been studied by using the one-dimensional Boltzmann's transport equation. Our model explicitly accounts for the Umklapp scattering process and electron-phonon coupling effects in the calculation of the phonon scattering rates. The role of the electron-phonon coupling in the heat transport is relatively small for large silicon nanowires. It is found that the effect of the electron-phonon coupling on the thermal conduction is enhanced as the diameter of the silicon nanowires decreases. Electrons in the conduction band scatter low-energy phonons effectively where surface modes dominate, resulting in a smaller thermal conductivity. Neglecting the electron-phonon coupling leads to overestimation of the thermal transport for ultra-thin SiNWs. The detailed study of the phonon density of states from the surface atoms and central atoms shows a better understanding of the nontrivial size dependence of the heat transport in silicon nanowire.     

GaN薄膜的热导率模型研究

准确预测GaN半导体材料的热导率对GaN基功率电子器件的热设计具有重要意义.本文基于第一性原理计算和经典Debye-Callaway模型,通过分析和完善Debye-Callaway模型中关于声子散射率的子模型,建立了用于预测温度、同位素、点缺陷、位错、薄膜厚度、应力等因素影响的GaN薄膜热导率的理论模型.具体来说,对声...     

Lattice dynamics of BaClF and SrClF

The lattice dynamics of tetragonal BaClF and SrClF have been worked out in detail on the basis of a shell model. The shell model parameters obtained from the transfer of corresponding parameters from the respective fluorides gives rise to long wavelength optic phonons in good agreement with the experimental results. Calculations have been made of the phonon dispersion relations, elastic constants, phonon density of states, temperature variation of specific heats and the lattice phonon moments.The mean square displacements of the various ions in these systems have also been computed over a wide range of temperature. Comparison with the available X-ray experimental data on thermal vibration parameters shows the agreement to be satisfactory.     

An electrohydrodynamics model for non-equilibrium electron and phonon transport in metal films after ultra-short pulse laser heating

The electrons and phonons in metal films after ultra-short pulse laser heating are in highly non-equilibrium states not only between the electrons and the phonons but also within the electrons. An electrohydrodynamics model consisting of the balance equations of electron density, energy density of electrons, and energy density of phonons is derived from the coupled non-equilibrium electron and phonon Boltzmann transport equations to study the nonlinear thermal transport by considering the electron density fluctuation and the transient electric current in metal films, after ultra-short pulse laser heating. The temperature evolution is calculated by the coupled electron and phonon Boltzmann transport equations, the electrohydrodynamics model derived in this work, and the two-temperature model. Different laser pulse durations, film thicknesses, and laser fluences are considered. We find that the two-temperature model overestimates the electron temperature at the front surface of the film and underestimates the damage threshold when the nonlinear thermal transport of electrons is important. The electrohydrodynamics model proposed in this work could be a more accurate prediction tool to study the non-equilibrium electron and phonon transport process than the two-temperature model and it is much easier to be solved than the Boltzmann transport equations.