The lattice thermal conductivity of superlattices is shown to depend on a new kind of umklapp scattering process, called a mini-umklapp, associated with the mini-Brillouin zone of the superlattice. Expressions for three-phonon mini-umklapp-scattering matrix elements are obtained for superlattices consisting of lattice-matched simple-cubic layers. The temperature dependence of the thermal conductivity is evaluated using an extension of Callaway's phenomenological model.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.