Thermal Transport Analysis of Heterostructured Nanowires With Metal-Semiconductor Interfaces

Recent advances in materials sciences and nanotechnology have enabled novel nanostructure designs that selectively suppress heat transport by several orders of magnitude with respect to the bulk material, while maintaining its bulk electrical properties, thereby allowing for an increase in the thermoelectric figure of merit ZT
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. This work investigates thermal transport in heterostructured nanowires with metal-semiconductor interfaces by introducing nickel silicide phases into silicon nanowires. We predict the temperature-dependent thermal conductivity of the heterostructured nanowires by considering phonon scattering with the nanoinclusions and interfacial thermal resistance. Results show thermal conductivity in silicon nanowires can be reduced by ~38% at 300 K by introducing spherical nickel silicide nanoinclusions with an inclusion density of 15%. Furthermore, inclusion of interfacial thermal resistance due to electron-phonon coupling can reduce thermal conductivity up to 27%. This work aims to provide insight on developing silicon-based nanomaterials for high thermoelectric performance.