On the thermal conductivity of single crystal AlN
A. V. Inyushkin, Alexander N. Taldenkov, D. A. Chernodubov, E. N. Mokhov, S. S. Nagalyuk, Victor Ralchenko, А.А. Khomich
Abstract
Thermal conductivity κ(T) of single crystal aluminum nitride grown by physical vapor transport has been measured at temperatures T from 5 to 410 K. The samples exhibit high thermal conductivity with a value of up to 316 W m−1 K−1 at room temperature and about 2800 W m−1 K−1 at a peak of 66 K. At lowest temperatures, κ(T) approaches the conductivity limited by the diffuse phonon scattering from sample surfaces. The peculiarities in measured κ(T) suggest that the phonon scattering from point defects contributes essentially to the total phonon scattering in samples under investigation at low temperatures. The phonon interaction with electrons and holes bound to neutral donor and acceptor centers is suggested, adding substantially to thermal resistivity near and below the peak in κ(T).