Phonon scattering at siliconcrystal surfaces

Our observations of the reflection or backscattering of high-frequency phonons (v =280 GHz to 1 THz) at silicon-solid interfaces disagree significantly with predictions from the acoustic mismatch model. Interfaces composed of materials theoretically wellmatched, show high scattering experimentally. In contrast, interfaces theoretically poorly matched, show less phonon scattering than expected. Generally, this is best expressed by the fact that the interface scattering ranges from roughly 30–60% for different phonon modes with little dependence on the material covering the silicon crystal and different techniques of interface preparations. Thus, our experiments indicate that the well-known Kapitza anomaly of the phonon scattering at solid-liquid helium interfaces is not a special case; the same anomaly appears to be present at all tested interfaces. Our experiments are compared with detailed calculations which either assume pure specular or pure diffusive scattering. In these calculations the influence of the crystal anisotropy for the phonon propagation (phonon focussing) is included. This comparison shows, especially for the free silicon surface, that phonons are completely diffuse scattered. Hence, the acoustic mismatched model relying on specular reflection cannot be applied to the real silicon interface. The frequency dependence of phonon scattering at a free silicon interface indicates the existence of at least two different diffusive scattering mechanisms. Within our experimental limits in these two scattering processes the phonons are elastically scattered.     

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.     

Heat transfer in solid HD at low temperatures

The lattice thermal conductivity of solid HD has been calculated in the temperature range 0.2–4°K. The important scatterers of phonons are found to be boundary walls of the crystal, isotopic impurities, phonons and molecules of ortho hydrogen and para deuterium. The presence of molecules of ortho hydrogen and para deuterium in solid HD which act as rotational impurities, are responsible for one and two phonon scattering processes in the system. The entire study is based on the Callaway model of the lattice thermal conductivity of an insulator. Excellent agreement is found between calculated and experimental values of phonon conductivity. The extra lattice thermal resistivity due to the presence of the ortho hydrogen and para deuterium is also calculated.     

Mode dependent scattering of phonons by domain walls in ferroelectric KDP

Thermal conductivity and ballistic phonon imaging measurements in KH₂PO₄ (KDP) at low temperature (T<3K) indicate that scattering from domain walls has a large effect on phonon transport. kDP has a ferroelectric phase transition from tetragonal to orthorhombic structure atT _c =122 K. BelowT _c domains of opposite electric polarization and crystal orientation form unless the sample is colled in an electric field. Thermal conductivity measured along the [100] (tetragonal) axis drops 30% when domain walls are present, which is independent of sample size and temperature. We attribute this decrease to phonon polarization-dependent scattering at the domain boundaries. This is verified by measurements of ballistic transport, using phonon imaging techniques, which reveal the phonon polarization and mode dependence of the scattering. The scattering is successfully modelled using continuum acoustics with simple acoustic mismatch at the domainwall. The interface scattering is found to be mode dependent: Caustic structures in the phonon images due to slow transverse phonons are most affected by the domain wall scattering, which channels these phonons along parallel planes by multiple reflections without mode conversion. Mode conversion scattering, though possible for a number of phonons, has little effect on the overall phonon transmission.     

Channeling of acoustic phonons in silicon: the polarization dependence in elastic scattering

Ballistic phonon flux in crystals at low temperatures is highly directional due to phonon focusing. In this paper, a phonon-imaging experiment is reported which shows that scattered phonons, too, can retain a highly directed flux. Basically, the combination of phonon focusing and the elastic-scattering selection rule act to channel phonons along the ballistic focusing directions. Together with Monte Carlo simulations, the experiments show that the scattered phonon flux is indeed due to elastic scattering processes, which depend on the polarizations of the scattering phonons. Isotropic scattering is inconsistent with the data. The experimental technique shows promise for quantifying the microscopic scattering processes and revealing the dynamics of a phonon hot spot.     

Phonon-phonon scattering cross-sections from crossed phonon beams

In two crossed phonon beams generated by heatpulses the attenuation of high frequency phonons by phonon-phonon interaction was observed for the slow transverse phonons of the [1 1 0] branch of Si at 3.6 K. From the experimental data the phonon scattering cross-section for a three phonon normal process can be calculated.     

Resonant Raman scattering in nanostructures with InGaAs/AlAs quantum dots

Raman scattering by optical phonons in In_xGa_{1 ? x} As/AlAs nanostructures with quantum dots has been studied experimentally for compositions corresponding to x = 0.3?1 under out-resonance conditions. Features due to scattering by GaAs-and InAs-like optical phonons in quantum dots have been detected, and the phonon frequencies have been determined as a function of the dot composition. With increasing excitation energy, a red shift is observed in the frequency of the GaAs-like phonon in quantum dots, which testifies to Raman scattering selective by the size of quantum dots. Under resonant conditions, multiphonon light scattering by optical and interface phonons is observed up to the third order, including overtones of the first-order phonons of InGaAs and AlAs materials and their combinations.     

Raman scattering from microcrystals

This review discusses the size effects on Raman scattering from microcrystals. For ionic microcrystals, the existence of surface phonon modes is predicted from electromagnetic theories. It is shown that Raman spectroscopy is very effective to detect the surface phonon modes. The size effects on nonpolar phonons in covalent microcrystals can also be studied by Raman spectroscopy. However, the relaxation of the wave-vector selection rule or the phonon confinement explains only some of the experimental data. Development of lattice dynamical theories of Raman scattering from microcrystals including surface effects is highly required. Enhancement of Raman intensities arising from the excitation of electromagnetic normal modes of microcrystals is also discussed.     

Electron-phonon scattering in asymmetric semiconductor quantum-well structures

We calculate scattering rates of intrasubband and intersubband electronic transitions in asymmetric single quantum wells (QW's) and step QW's due to interface phonons, confined bulk-like LO phonons, and half-space LO phonons. The relative importance of the different phonon modes is analyzed. The results show that the electron-phonon scattering rates have intimate relation to the QW parameters.     

Imaging nonequilibrium atomic vibrations with x-ray diffuse scattering

We use picosecond x-ray diffuse scattering to image the nonequilibrium vibrations in the lattice following ultrafast laser excitation. We present images of nonequilibrium phonons in InP and InSb throughout the Brillouin zone which remain out of equilibrium up to nanoseconds. The results are analyzed using a Born model that helps identify the phonon branches contributing to the observed features in the time-resolved diffuse scattering. In InP this analysis shows a delayed increase in the transverse-acoustic (TA) phonon population along high-symmetry directions accompanied by a decrease in the longitudinal-acoustic phonons. In InSb the increase in TA phonon population is less directional.     

Monte Carlo simulation of inelasting surface scattering; Phonon transfer model applied to Br2 and no scattering from graphite surfaces

The inelastic scattering results in the form of angular distributions for Br₂-graphite (Holmlid et al.) and NO-graphite (Ertl et al.) have been analyzed using a Monte Carlo simulation technique and a one-phonon transfer model, sampling from the distribution of phonons perpendicular to the surface. The Br₂ results can be well reproduced by the calculations, and so can the lobe peak position for NO scattering at high surface temperature. For NO scattering at low surface temperature both phonon gain and loss processes contribute to the observed lobe, and its angular width is well described in this way. The full lobe can only be explained by two-phonon difference processes, however. If the phonons are assumed to follow Boltzmann instead of the correct Bose-Einstein statistics, improved fits are found in some cases. This probably indicates that dynamical effects, as for example a varying energy transfer probability, are important during the phonon transfer. The experimentally observed quasi-cosine shape of the lobes below the specular direction is well reproduced by a loss process with no excitation function, using only the distribution of phonon frequencies in the surface layer.     

Contribution of the electron-phonon interaction to the broadening of cyclotron resonance line of a two-dimensional electron gas in multiple quantum well structures

Summary The theory of cyclotron resonance (CR) lineshape of a two-dimensional electron gas (2 DEG) due to the electron-phonon interaction in multiple-quantum-well structures (MQWS) is investigated. The contribution of the deformation potential acoustic and piezoelectric phonon scattering to the broadening of the cyclotron resonance spectra (CRSB) of such a system is calculated fro GaAs/AlAs. The piezoelectric phonon scattering contribution to the linewidth is smaller as compared to the deformation potential acoustic phonon scattering but is significantly comparable. The magnetic-field dependence of CRSB due to the deformation potential acoustic and piezoelectric phonons isB ^1/2 andB ^1/4, respectively, and the frequency shift Δ _N,p =0 for both interactions in the elastic-scattering approximation. Observed numerical values of the CRSB indicate that at low temperatures acoustic and piezoelectric phonons are dominant scatterers and interact strongly with 2 DEG in MQWS where the impurity scattering is suppressed due to the modulation doping. To speed up publication, the author of this paper has agreed to not receive the proofs for correction.     

Normal processes of phonon-phonon scattering and the drag thermopower in germanium crystals with isotopic disorder

A strong dependence of the thermopower of germanium crystals on the isotopic composition is experimentally found. The theory of phonon drag of electrons in semiconductors with nondegenerate statistics of current carriers is developed, which takes into account the special features of the relaxation of phonon momentum in the normal processes of phonon-phonon scattering. The effect of the drift motion of phonons on the drag thermopower in germanium crystals of different isotopic compositions is analyzed for two options of relaxation of phonon momentum in the normal processes of phonon scattering. The phonon relaxation times determined from the data on the thermal conductivity of germanium are used in calculating the thermopower. The importance of the inelasticity of electron-phonon scattering in the drag thermopower in semiconductors is analyzed. A qualitative explanation of the isotope effect in the drag thermopower is provided. It is demonstrated that this effect is associated with the drift motion of phonons, which turns out to be very sensitive to isotopic disorder in germanium crystals.     

Effect of boundaries and impurities on electron–phonon dephasing

Electron scattering from boundaries and impurities destroys the single-particle picture of the electron–phonon interaction. We show that quantum interference between ‘pure‘ electron–phonon and electron–boundary/impurity scattering may result in the reduction as well as to the significant enlargement of the electron dephasing rate. This effect crucially depends on the extent, to which electron scatterers, such as boundaries and impurities, are dragged by phonons. Static and vibrating scatterers are described by two dimensionless parametersq_Tl and q_TL, where q is the wavevector of the thermal phonon, l is the total electron mean-free path, L is the mean-free path due to scattering from static scatterers. According to the Pippard ineffectiveness condition , without static scatterers the dephasing rate at low temperatures is slower by the factor 1 / ql than the rate in a pure bulk material. However, in the presence of static potential the dephasing rate turns out to be 1 / qL times faster. Thus, at low temperatures electron dephasing and energy relaxation may be controlled by electron boundary/impurity scattering in a wide range.     

Modifying electron-phonon scattering rates in semiconductor quantum wells with thin AlAs layers

We have studied theoretically the electron-phonon scattering rates in GaAs/AlAs quantum wells which have additional thin AlAs layers in them using the dielectric continuum approach for the phonons. The confined and interface phonon modes and the intersubband electron phonon scattering rates of these structures have been calculated. The system with an additional AlAs layer is found to have intersubband electron scattering rates which are increased modestly as compared to those for the corresponding quantum well. These results show that scattering rates in general are expected to depend only weakly on the effects of system structure on the optical phonon spectra.     

First-order Raman scattering in cylindrical wurtzite nanowire

We have presented a theoretical study on electron resonant Raman scattering (ERRS) process associated with the bulk longitudinal optical (LO), surface optical (SO) and quasi-confined (QC) phonon modes in a free-standing wurtzite nanowire (NW). We consider the Fröhlich electron–phonon interaction in the framework of the dielectric continuum model. Numerical calculations on the GaN material reveal that differential cross-section (DCS) is sensitive to the wire size. The bulk LO and high-frequency quasi-confined (QC₊) phonons make main contributions to the DCS and the impact of the SO phonon can be negligible in the ERRS process. Moreover, scattering intensity of the bulk LO phonon is strongly enhanced as the incident photon energy approaches the energy band-gap of the GaN.     

Resonance Raman scattering of excitonic polaritons by LO and acoustic phonons in ZnTe

We have observed dispersive two-phonon Raman scattering of polaritons by LO and acoustic phonons near the lowest exciton state of ZnTe. From the Stokes shifts of these Raman lines, it has been found that the scattering process switches from an acoustic phonon followed by one LO phonon to the reversed one: a LO phonon followed by an acoustic one.     

The effect of normal phonon-phonon scattering processes on the maximum thermal conductivity of isotopically pure silicon crystals

The effect of normal phonon-phonon scattering processes on the thermal conductivity of silicon crystals with various degrees of isotope disorder is considered. The redistribution of phonon momentum in normal scattering processes is taken into account within each oscillation branch (the Callaway generalized model), as well as between different oscillation branches of the phonon spectrum (the Herring mechanism). The values of the parameters are obtained that determine the phonon momentum relaxation in anharmonic scattering processes. The contributions of the drift motion of longitudinal and transverse phonons to the thermal conductivity are analyzed. It is shown that the momentum redistribution between longitudinal and transverse phonons in the Herring relaxation model represents an efficient mechanism that limits the maximum thermal conductivity in isotopically pure silicon crystals. The dependence of the maximum thermal conductivity on the degree of isotope disorder is calculated. The maximum thermal conductivity of isotopically pure silicon crystals is estimated for two variants of phonon momentum relaxation in normal phonon-phonon scattering processes.     

First-order Raman scattering in a free-standing GaN nanowire with ring geometry

We have investigated one phonon resonant Raman scattering in GaN nanowires (NWs) with ring geometry. We consider the Fröhlich electron–phonon interaction in the framework of the dielectric continuum approach. The selection rules are studied. For the GaN NWs with small radius, results reveal that the main contribution to the differential cross-section (DCS) stems from the surface optical (SO) phonons especially from the high-frequency of SO phonons, with a minor contribution from the longitudinal optical (LO) phonons. Meanwhile, dispersions of the two branches of the SO phonon modes are obvious when the wire is thin. Moreover, compared to GaAs NWs, the GaN NWs make more contribution to the DCS in the small quantum size.     

The creation of supra-thermal densities of high-energy phonons in He II

We report the new phenomenon that high-energy phonons can be created from low-energy phonons. This arises because the dynamics of phonons in propagating pulses are quite different to those in isotropic phonon distributions. A pulse of low-energy phonons rapidly thermalises by three-phonon processes. On a much longer time scale four-phonon processes occur within this phonon cloud which create high-energy (10 K) phonons that cannot spontaneously decay. These phonons have a lower velocity and so are lost from the back of phonon cloud; their deficit is restored continuously by four-phonon processes. These now isolated high-energy phonons are very stable and propagate ballistically behind the low-energy phonons, so giving the two pulses which are detected in experiments. For long pulses the high-energy phonons may also decay within the cloud, however the available low-energy phonons for scattering are confined to a narrow-angle cone, so the decay probability is very low because the four phonon process requires large angle scattering. A supra-thermal density of these high-energy phonons is predicted.