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Title: Understanding the evolution of anomalous anharmonicity in Bi 2 Te 3 - x Se x

Abstract

The anharmonic effect in thermoelectrics has been a central topic for decades in both condensed matter physics and material science. However, despite the long-believed strong and complex anharmonicity in the Bi2Te3-xSex series, experimental verification of anharmonicity and its evolution with doping remains elusive. We fill this important gap with high-resolution, temperature-dependent Raman spectroscopy in high-quality single crystals of Bi2Te, Bi2Te2Se , and Bi2Se3 over the temperature range from 4 to 293 K. Klemens's model was employed to explain the renormalization of their phonon linewidths. The phonon energies of Bi2Se3 and Bi2Te3 are analyzed in detail from three aspects: lattice expansion, cubic anharmonicity, and quartic anharmonicity. For the first time, we explain the evolution of anharmonicity in various phonon modes and across the series. Lastly, in particular, we find that the interplay between cubic and quartic anharmonicity is governed by their distinct dependence on the phonon density of states, providing insights into anomalous anharmonicity designing of new thermoelectrics.

Authors:
 [1];  [2];  [2];  [3];  [3];  [3];  [4]
  1. Univ. of Toronto, ON (Canada). Dept. of Physics & Inst. of Optical Sciences
  2. Princeton Univ., NJ (United States). Dept. of Chemistry
  3. Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States). Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science Dept.
  4. Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA (United States). Dept. of Physics
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES); National Science Foundation (NSF)
OSTI Identifier:
1372431
Report Number(s):
BNL-113904-2017-JA
Journal ID: ISSN 2469-9950; PRBMDO; R&D Project: PO010; KC0201060; TRN: US1702667
Grant/Contract Number:  
SC0012704; DMR-1420541; DMR-1410846
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Physical Review. B
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 95; Journal Issue: 9; Journal ID: ISSN 2469-9950
Publisher:
American Physical Society (APS)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY; 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; Lattice dynamics; Phonons; Optical phonons

Citation Formats

Tian, Yao, Jia, Shuang, Cava, R. J., Zhong, Ruidan, Schneeloch, John, Gu, Genda, and Burch, Kenneth S. Understanding the evolution of anomalous anharmonicity in Bi2Te3-xSex. United States: N. p., 2017. Web. doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.95.094104.
Tian, Yao, Jia, Shuang, Cava, R. J., Zhong, Ruidan, Schneeloch, John, Gu, Genda, & Burch, Kenneth S. Understanding the evolution of anomalous anharmonicity in Bi2Te3-xSex. United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.95.094104
Tian, Yao, Jia, Shuang, Cava, R. J., Zhong, Ruidan, Schneeloch, John, Gu, Genda, and Burch, Kenneth S. Wed . "Understanding the evolution of anomalous anharmonicity in Bi2Te3-xSex". United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.95.094104. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1372431.
@article{osti_1372431,
title = {Understanding the evolution of anomalous anharmonicity in Bi2Te3-xSex},
author = {Tian, Yao and Jia, Shuang and Cava, R. J. and Zhong, Ruidan and Schneeloch, John and Gu, Genda and Burch, Kenneth S.},
abstractNote = {The anharmonic effect in thermoelectrics has been a central topic for decades in both condensed matter physics and material science. However, despite the long-believed strong and complex anharmonicity in the Bi2Te3-xSex series, experimental verification of anharmonicity and its evolution with doping remains elusive. We fill this important gap with high-resolution, temperature-dependent Raman spectroscopy in high-quality single crystals of Bi2Te, Bi2Te2Se , and Bi2Se3 over the temperature range from 4 to 293 K. Klemens's model was employed to explain the renormalization of their phonon linewidths. The phonon energies of Bi2Se3 and Bi2Te3 are analyzed in detail from three aspects: lattice expansion, cubic anharmonicity, and quartic anharmonicity. For the first time, we explain the evolution of anharmonicity in various phonon modes and across the series. Lastly, in particular, we find that the interplay between cubic and quartic anharmonicity is governed by their distinct dependence on the phonon density of states, providing insights into anomalous anharmonicity designing of new thermoelectrics.},
doi = {10.1103/PhysRevB.95.094104},
journal = {Physical Review. B},
number = 9,
volume = 95,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Mar 08 00:00:00 EST 2017},
month = {Wed Mar 08 00:00:00 EST 2017}
}

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