Guest-cage atomic interactions in a clathrate-based phase-change material.

Loke, Desmond; Skelton, Jonathan M; Law, Leong-Tat; Wang, Wei-Jie; Li, Ming-Hua; Song, Wen-Dong; Lee, Tae-Hoon; Elliott, Stephen R · Adv Mater · 2014

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

New clathrate-based phase-change materials with cage-like structures incorporating Cs and Ba guest atoms, are reported as a means of altering crystallization and amorphization behavior by controlling 'guest-cage' interactions via intra-complex guest vibrational effects. Both a high resistance to spontaneous crystallization, and long retention of the amorphous phase are achieved, as well as a low melting energy. This approach provides a route for achieving cage-controlled semiconductor devices.