Intrinsic Nanotwin Effect on Thermal Boundary Conductance in Bulk and Single-Nanowire Twinning Superlattices

TL;DR

This study uses atomistic simulations and ab-initio calculations to explore how twin boundary size affects thermal boundary conductance in silicon nanowires and bulk, revealing a transition from scattering to superlattice-like behavior at nanoscale.

Contribution

It demonstrates that twin boundaries can be modeled as atomically-thin layers, providing a new understanding of thermal transport mechanisms in twinning superlattices.

Findings

Intrinsic interface scattering occurs for twin periods ≥22.6 nm.

Below 22.6 nm, twin boundaries exhibit ultrahigh Kapitza conductance.

Modeling twin boundaries as atomically-thin layers accurately predicts thermal conductivities.

Abstract

Coherent twin boundaries form periodic lamellar twinning in a wide variety of semiconductor nanowires, and are often viewed as near-perfect interfaces with reduced phonon and electron scattering behaviors. Such unique characteristics are of practical interest for high-performance thermoelectrics and optoelectronics; however, insufficient understanding of twin-size effects on thermal boundary resistance poses significant limitations for potential applications. Here, using atomistic simulations and ab-initio calculations, we report direct computational observations showing a crossover from diffuse interface scattering to superlattice-like behavior for thermal transport across nanoscale twin boundaries present in prototypical bulk and nanowire Si examples. Intrinsic interface scattering is identified for twin periods larger than or equal to 22.6 nm, but also vanishes below this size to be replaced by ultrahigh Kapitza thermal conductances. Detailed analysis of vibrational modes shows that modeling twin boundaries as atomically-thin 6H-Si layers, rather than phonon scattering interfaces, provides an accurate description of effective cross-plane and in-plane thermal conductivities in twinning superlattices, as a function of the twin period thickness.