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An Explanation for the Plateau in the Thermal Conductivity of Non‐Crystalline Solids
Author(s) -
Zaitlin M. P.,
Anderson A. C.
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
physica status solidi (b)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.51
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1521-3951
pISSN - 0370-1972
DOI - 10.1002/pssb.2220710132
Subject(s) - thermal conductivity , plateau (mathematics) , quantum tunnelling , amorphous solid , materials science , thermal conduction , condensed matter physics , thermal , density of states , conductivity , thermodynamics , chemistry , physics , composite material , crystallography , mathematics , mathematical analysis
The tunnelling‐states model is applied to the thermal conductivity of non‐crystalline materials. It is shown that the presence of a quadratic term in the energy dependence of the density of tunneling states, as implied by specific heat and ultrasonic measurements, can give rise near 10 K to the plateau in the thermal conductivity which is characteristic of amorphous solids.