Locally ordered nano-domains as novel microstructure defects suppressing the phonon transport in SnTe thermoelectrics

Abstract

The phonon transport is intensively related to microstructure defects. Herein, a unique high-pressure sintering technology (GPa-level) was applied to modify the microstructure of pristine SnTe. There are many nano-domains exist in the high pressured NaCl-type SnTe binary compounds. The fast Fourier transform images show the domain phases have two sets of reflections with comparable intensity and exhibit doublet periodicities of special lattice planes, which demonstrates the domain phases are the CuPt and CuAu-I-type variants evolved from the NaCl-type matrix phase. An in-depth investigation indicates the constructions of the domain phase are related to locally off-stoichiometric of SnTe and the introduced strong inner-stress during high pressure sintering process. Additionally, a calculation of the phonon transport discloses the nano-domains restrict the phonon relaxation time by orders of magnitude over a wide phonon frequency range. As a result, a wide frequency phonon scattering network can be established to lower the lattice thermal conductivity.