Metastable Silicon Phases

Broadly tunable thermal conductivity

Phase engineering enables wide-range modulation of thermal conductivity and mechanical properties within the same material system, offering a new route for advanced nanodevices and mechanical transducers.

Du, Guoshuai · Yu-bing, Du · Jiaxin, Ming · Zhixi, Zhu · Yan, Jiaohui · Jiayin, Li · Tiansong, Zhang · Yang, Lina · Ke, Jin · Chen, Yabin

Chinese Physics B 2025

Advantages

Thermal conductivity exhibits broad tunability across Si-I, III, XII, and IV phases

Hardness and Young's modulus of Si-IV are significantly greater than those of the Si-III/XII mixture

Pressure-induced structural defects substantially degrade thermal and mechanical properties