Thermal rectification in silicon by a graded distribution of defects

We discuss about computer experiments based on nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations providing evidence that thermal rectification can be obtained in bulk Si by a non-uniform distribution of defects. We consider a graded population of both Ge substitutional defects and nanovoids, distributed...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Dettori, Riccardo|||0000-0002-4678-1098, Melis, Claudio|||0000-0002-5768-8403, Rurali, Riccardo|||0000-0002-4086-4191, Colombo, Luciano|||0000-0001-5335-4652
Format: article
Publication Date:2016
Country:España
Institution:Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Repository:Dipòsit Digital de Documents de la UAB
Language:English
OAI Identifier:oai:ddd.uab.cat:241010
Online Access:https://ddd.uab.cat/record/241010
https://dx.doi.org/urn:doi:10.1063/1.4953142
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Computer experiment
Defect distribution
Defect engineering
Graded distributions
Non-uniform distribution
Nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulation
Rectification factors
Substitutional defects
Description
Summary:We discuss about computer experiments based on nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations providing evidence that thermal rectification can be obtained in bulk Si by a non-uniform distribution of defects. We consider a graded population of both Ge substitutional defects and nanovoids, distributed along the direction of an applied thermal bias, and predict a rectification factor comparable to what is observed in other low-dimensional Si-based nanostructures. By considering several defect distribution profiles, thermal bias conditions, and sample sizes, the present results suggest that a possible way for tuning the thermal rectification is by defect engineering.