Strong anharmonicity dictates ultralow thermal conductivities of type-I clathrates

TL;DR

This study reveals that nonperturbative anharmonic effects, especially four-phonon scattering, are key to understanding the ultralow thermal conductivities in type-I clathrates, which are promising for thermoelectric applications.

Contribution

The paper extends vibrational dynamical mean-field theory to accurately model temperature-dependent thermal transport in type-I clathrates, highlighting the importance of nonperturbative anharmonic effects.

Findings

Nonresonant scattering reduces phonon lifetimes.

Standard perturbation theory fails to match experimental temperature dependence.

Four- and higher-phonon processes are crucial for ultralow conductivities.

Abstract

Type-I clathrate solids have attracted significant interest due to their ultralow thermal conductivities and subsequent promise for thermoelectric applications, yet the mechanisms underlying these properties are not well understood. Here, we extend the framework of vibrational dynamical mean-field theory (VDMFT) to calculate temperature-dependent thermal transport properties of $X_8$Ga$_{16}$Ge$_{30}$, where $X=$ Ba, Sr, using a many-body Green's function approach. We find that nonresonant scattering between cage acoustic modes and rattling modes leads to a reduction of acoustic phonon lifetimes and thus thermal conductivities. Moreover, we find that the moderate temperature dependence of conductivities above 300 K, which is consistent with experimental measurements, cannot be reproduced by standard perturbation theory calculations, which predict a $T^{-1}$ dependence. Therefore, we conclude that nonperturbative anharmonic effects, including four- and higher-phonon scattering processes, are responsible for the ultralow thermal conductivities of type-I clathrates.