Anharmonicity and atomic distribution of SnTe and PbTe thermoelectrics
Abstract
The structure and lattice dynamics of rock-salt thermoelectric materials SnTe and PbTe are investigated with single crystal and powder neutron diffraction, inelastic neutron scattering (INS), and first-principles simulations. Our first-principles calculations of the radial distribution function (RDF) in both SnTe and PbTe show a clear asymmetry in the first nearest-neighbor (1NN) peak, which increases with temperature, in agreement with experimental reports (Ref. 1,2). We show that this peak asymmetry for the 1NN Sn–Te or Pb–Te bond results from large-amplitude anharmonic vibrations (phonons). No atomic off-centering is found in our simulations. In addition, the atomic mean square displacements derived from our diffraction data reveal stiffer bonding at the anion site, in good agreement with the partial phonon densities of states from INS, and first-principles calculations. In conclusion, these results provide clear evidence for large-amplitude anharmonic phonons associated with the resonant bonding leading to the ferroelectric instability.
- Authors:
-
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Materials Science & Technology Division
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Quantum Condensed Matter Division
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Chemical and Engineering Materials Division
- Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States). Lujan Center
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR); Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Spallation Neutron Source (SNS)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1286750
- Alternate Identifier(s):
- OSTI ID: 1180716
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC05-00OR22725; SC0001299; AC52-06NA25396
- Resource Type:
- Journal Article: Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 90; Journal Issue: 21; Journal ID: ISSN 1098-0121
- Publisher:
- American Physical Society (APS)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
Citation Formats
Li, C. W., Ma, J., Cao, H. B., May, A. F., Abernathy, D. L., Ehlers, G., Hoffmann, C., Wang, X., Hong, T., Huq, A., Gourdon, O., and Delaire, O. Anharmonicity and atomic distribution of SnTe and PbTe thermoelectrics. United States: N. p., 2014.
Web. doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.90.214303.
Li, C. W., Ma, J., Cao, H. B., May, A. F., Abernathy, D. L., Ehlers, G., Hoffmann, C., Wang, X., Hong, T., Huq, A., Gourdon, O., & Delaire, O. Anharmonicity and atomic distribution of SnTe and PbTe thermoelectrics. United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.90.214303
Li, C. W., Ma, J., Cao, H. B., May, A. F., Abernathy, D. L., Ehlers, G., Hoffmann, C., Wang, X., Hong, T., Huq, A., Gourdon, O., and Delaire, O. 2014.
"Anharmonicity and atomic distribution of SnTe and PbTe thermoelectrics". United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.90.214303. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1286750.
@article{osti_1286750,
title = {Anharmonicity and atomic distribution of SnTe and PbTe thermoelectrics},
author = {Li, C. W. and Ma, J. and Cao, H. B. and May, A. F. and Abernathy, D. L. and Ehlers, G. and Hoffmann, C. and Wang, X. and Hong, T. and Huq, A. and Gourdon, O. and Delaire, O.},
abstractNote = {The structure and lattice dynamics of rock-salt thermoelectric materials SnTe and PbTe are investigated with single crystal and powder neutron diffraction, inelastic neutron scattering (INS), and first-principles simulations. Our first-principles calculations of the radial distribution function (RDF) in both SnTe and PbTe show a clear asymmetry in the first nearest-neighbor (1NN) peak, which increases with temperature, in agreement with experimental reports (Ref. 1,2). We show that this peak asymmetry for the 1NN Sn–Te or Pb–Te bond results from large-amplitude anharmonic vibrations (phonons). No atomic off-centering is found in our simulations. In addition, the atomic mean square displacements derived from our diffraction data reveal stiffer bonding at the anion site, in good agreement with the partial phonon densities of states from INS, and first-principles calculations. In conclusion, these results provide clear evidence for large-amplitude anharmonic phonons associated with the resonant bonding leading to the ferroelectric instability.},
doi = {10.1103/PhysRevB.90.214303},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1286750},
journal = {Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics},
issn = {1098-0121},
number = 21,
volume = 90,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Dec 29 00:00:00 EST 2014},
month = {Mon Dec 29 00:00:00 EST 2014}
}
Web of Science
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