Clathrates and beyond: Low-density allotropy in crystalline silicon
- Department of Physics, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California 93407 (United States)
In its common, thermodynamically stable state, silicon adopts the same crystal structure as diamond. Although only a few alternative allotropic structures have been discovered and studied over the past six decades, advanced methods for structure prediction have recently suggested a remarkably rich low-density phase space that has only begun to be explored. The electronic properties of these low-density allotropes of silicon, predicted by first-principles calculations, indicate that these materials could offer a pathway to improving performance and reducing cost in a variety of electronic and energy-related applications. In this focus review, we provide an introduction and overview of recent theoretical and experimental results related to low-density allotropes of silicon, highlighting the significant potential these materials may have for technological applications, provided substantial challenges to their experimental preparation can be overcome.
- OSTI ID:
- 22594497
- Journal Information:
- Applied Physics Reviews, Vol. 3, Issue 4; Other Information: (c) 2016 Author(s); Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1931-9401
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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