Analysis of in-plane thermal phonon transport in III–V compound semiconductor superlattices

ABSTRACT

Controlling thermal transport in optoelectronic devices is a fundamental determinant of optimum performance. We study in-plane thermal transport mechanisms in GaAs/AlAs and their alloy-based superlattices while rigorously accounting for phonon interlayer coupling and interface scattering. We provide an extensive microscopic analysis of phonon transport to enable rational thermal material design. We also predict the thermal conductivity of realistic finite-sized GaAs/AlAs superlattices for efficient heat control in III–V superlattice-based optoelectronic devices.

KEYWORDS:

• Thermal transport
• nanostructures
• III-V semiconductor superlattices

Acknowledgments

Research was sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Defense Sciences Office (DSO), and the Army Research Office (ARO) and was accomplished under Grant Number W911NF-18-1-0005. The views and conclusions contained in this document are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as representing the official policies, either expressed or implied, of the Army Research Office or the O.S. Government. The U.S. Government is authorized to reproduce and distribute reprints for Government purposes notwithstanding any copyright notation herein.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency [W911NF-18-1-0005].