MoS<sub>2</sub> phononic crystals for advanced thermal management.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 38552010.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1126/sciadv.adm8825 and PMC identifier 10980264.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Effective thermal management of electronic devices encounters substantial challenges owing to the notable power densities involved. Here, we propose layered MoS<sub>2</sub> phononic crystals (PnCs) that can effectively reduce thermal conductivity (κ) with relatively small disruption of electrical conductivity (σ), offering a potential thermal management solution for nanoelectronics. These layered PnCs exhibit remarkable efficiency in reducing κ, surpassing that of Si and SiC PnCs with similar periodicity by ~100-fold. Specifically, in suspended MoS<sub>2</sub> PnCs, we measure an exceptionally low κ down to 0.1 watts per meter kelvin, below the amorphous limit while preserving the crystalline structure. These findings are supported by molecular dynamics simulations that account for the film thickness, porosity, and temperature. We demonstrate the approach efficiency by fabricating suspended heat-routing structures that effectively confine and guide heat flow in prespecified directions. This study underpins the immense potential of layered materials as directional heat spreaders, thermal insulators, and active components for thermoelectric devices.