The thermal expansion coefficient and Gruneisen parameter of InP crystal at low temperatures

Exciton Fine Structure and Lattice Dynamics in InP/ZnSe Core/Shell Quantum Dots

Nanocrystalline InP quantum dots (QDs) hold promise for heavy-metal-free optoelectronic applications due to their bright and size-tunable emission in the visible range. Photochemical stability and high photoluminescence (PL) quantum yield are obtained by a diversity of epitaxial shells around the InP core. To understand and optimize the emission line shapes, the exciton fine structure of InP core/shell QD systems needs be investigated. Here, we study the exciton fine structure of InP/ZnSe core/shell QDs with core diameters ranging from 2.9 to 3.6 nm (PL peak from 2.3 to 1.95 eV at 4 K). PL decay measurements as a function of temperature in the 10 mK to 300 K range show that the lowest exciton fine structure state is a dark state, from which radiative recombination is assisted by coupling to confined acoustic phonons with energies ranging from 4 to 7 meV, depending on the core diameter. Circularly polarized fluorescence line-narrowing (FLN) spectroscopy at 4 K under high magnetic fields (up to 30 T) demonstrates that radiative recombination from the dark F = ±2 state involves acoustic and optical phonons, from both the InP core and the ZnSe shell. Our data indicate that the highest intensity FLN peak is an acoustic phonon replica rather than a zero-phonon line, implying that the energy separation observed between the F = ±1 state and the highest intensity peak in the FLN spectra (6 to 16 meV, depending on the InP core size) is larger than the splitting between the dark and bright fine structure exciton states.

Prediction of a large number of electron pockets near the band edges in type-VIII clathrate Si46 and its physical properties from first principles

The material design of type-VIII clathrate Si46 is presented based on first principles. The structural, electronic, elastic, vibrational, and thermodynamic properties of this hypothetical material are presented. Our results predict that type-VIII clathrate Si46 is an indirect semiconductor with a bandgap of 1.24 eV. The band structure revealed an interestingly large number of electron pockets near both conduction and valance band edges. Such a large density of states near the band edges, which is higher than that of the best thermoelectric materials discovered so far, can result in a large thermoelectric power factor (>0.004 W m(-1) K(-2)) making it a promising candidate for thermoelectric applications. The elastic properties as well as the vibrational modes and the phonon state densities of this material were also calculated. Our calculations predict that the heat capacity at constant volume (isochoric) of this clathrate increases smoothly with temperature and approaches the Dulong-Petit value near room temperature. The electronic band structure shows a large number of valleys closely packed around the valance band edge, which is rare among the known semiconducting materials. These valleys can contribute to transport at high temperature resulting in a possibly high performance (ZT > 1.5) p-type thermoelectric material.

Copper-based conductive composites with tailored thermal expansion

We have devised a moderate temperature hot-pressing route for preparing metal-matrix composites which possess tunable thermal expansion coefficients in combination with high electrical and thermal conductivities. The composites are based on incorporating ZrW2O8, a material with a negative coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), within a continuous copper matrix. The ZrW2O8 enables us to tune the CTE in a predictable manner, while the copper phase is responsible for the electrical and thermal conductivity properties. An important consideration in the processing of these materials is to avoid the decomposition of the ZrW2O8 phase. This is accomplished by using relatively mild hot-pressing conditions of 500 °C for 1 h at 40 MPa. To ensure that these conditions enable sintering of the copper, we developed a synthesis route for the preparation of Cu nanoparticles (NPs) based on the reduction of a common copper salt in aqueous solution in the presence of a size control agent. Upon hot pressing these nanoparticles at 500 °C, we are able to achieve 92-93% of the theoretical density of copper. The resulting materials exhibit a CTE which can be tuned between the value of pure copper (16.5 ppm/°C) and less than 1 ppm/°C. Thus, by adjusting the relative amount of the two components, the properties of the composite can be designed so that a material with high electrical conductivity and a CTE that matches the relatively low CTE values of semiconductor or thermoelectric materials can be achieved. This unique combination of electrical and thermal properties enables these Cu-based metal-matrix composites to be used as electrical contacts to a variety of semiconductor and thermoelectric devices which offer stable operation under thermal cycling conditions.

Thermal Expansion of β-Sic, Gap and Inp

Thermal expansion is important for predicting residual stresses in epitaxial films, composites and electronic devices as well as for providing information relevant to an understanding of interatomic potentials and the equation of state of materials. Model calculations have many assumptions, both inherent and implicit, and have difficulty accurately representing thermal expansion at high temperatures and pressures. We utilize a semi-empirical quasi-harmonic model to evaluate available data for β-silicon carbide, gallium phosphide and indium phosphide. The model allows prediction of the thermal properties of these semiconductors from near 0 K to the vicinity of their melting points. The approach, consisting of a simplified frequency spectrum with several Einstein terms, provides a convenient mathematical method where a minimum of empirical parameters represent the thermal property.