Phonon Diffraction and Interference Using Nanometric Features

Phonon diffraction and interference patterns are observed at the atomic scale, using molecular dynamics simulations in systems containing crystalline silicon and nanometric obstacles, such as voids or amorphous inclusions. The diffraction patterns due to these nano-architectured systems of the same scale as the phonon wavelengths are similar to the ones predicted by the simple Fresnel–Kirchhoff integral. The few differences between the two approaches are attributed to the nature of the interface and the anisotropy of crystalline silicon. Based on the wave description of phonons, these findings can provide insights into the interaction of phonons with nano-objects and can have applications in smart thermal energy management.