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arXiv · 1806.04871

Off-center Rattling Triggers High-Temperature Thermal Transport in Thermoelectric lathrates: Non-Perturbative Approach

Qing Xi·Zhongwei Zhang·Tsuneyoshi Nakayama·Jie Chen·Jun Zhou·Baowen Li
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Abstract

Lattice thermal conductivities $\kappa_{\rm L}$ of type-I clathrates encapsulating "off-center" guest atoms behave in a way that is sharply different from those of conventional crystals such as on-center type-I clathrates. The latter decreases with increasing temperature according to 1/$T$ above a few tens\,K. While, $\kappa_{\rm L}$ of off-center clathrates increase T-linearly above a few tens K. Further increasing temperature above $T\gtrsim$100 K, $\kappa_{\rm L}$ saturates without exhibiting appreciable T-dependence. In this temperature regime, the standard formulation of $\kappa_{\rm L}$ based on the perturbation theory is unfeasible. We herein present a theory of $\kappa_{\rm L}$ based on "non-perturbative" approach by taking into account the interaction between non-vibrational off-center rattling states of guest atoms and cage shells. It is remarkable that our theory shows excellent agreement with observed $\kappa_{\rm L}(T)$ for off-center clathrates in magnitudes, the cage volume $\Omega$-dependence and T-dependence.

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Qing Xi, Zhongwei Zhang, Tsuneyoshi Nakayama, Jie Chen, Jun Zhou, Baowen Li. 2018-06-13. Off-center Rattling Triggers High-Temperature Thermal Transport in Thermoelectric lathrates: Non-Perturbative Approach. https://arxiv.org/abs/1806.04871

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