Influence of surface roughness on thermal properties of single crystalline Ge thin films

We use non-equilibrium molecular dynamics (NEMD) simulations to compute thermal conductivity of Ge thin films with rough surface. The analysis shows that the shape, height, and length of the surface roughness have an appreciable influence on the in-plane and cross-plane thermal conductivity of Ge thin films. The thermal conductivity significantly decreases with increasing the period height of roughness or with decreasing the period length of roughness. Phonon-boundary scattering mechanism could be used to explain our results.

Graphical abstractThe shape, height, and length of the surface roughness have an appreciable influence on the in-plane and cross-plane thermal conductivity of single crystalline Ge thin films.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide