Observation of a two level thermal conductivity in the low-dimensional materials

The recent theoretical one-dimensional models display invariably anomalous thermal conductivity. Thermal conductivity of several low-dimensional crystalline systems has been investigated using our new techniques. The results show that for most of the measured materials in the high temperature range the thermal conductivity is composed of two extremes: a low- and a high-conductive state. The effective thermal conductivity jumps abruptly between these two states giving rise to apparent discontinuities or “spikes”.