Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-m9kch Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-05-11T13:05:31.514Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Experimental and theoretical studies of plasma resonance and the electronic structure of binary skutterudites

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Øystein Prytz
Affiliation:
oystein.prytz@smn.uio.no, University of Oslo, Centre for Materials Science and Nanotechnology, P.O.Box 1126-Blindern, OSLO, N/A, NO-0316, Norway, +47 22 84 06 84, +47 22 84 06 51
Ole M. Løvvik
Affiliation:
o.m.lovvik@fys.uio.no, University of Oslo, Centre for Materials Science and Nanotechnology, Norway
Johan Taftø
Affiliation:
johan.tafto@fys.uio.no, University of Oslo, Centre for Materials Science and Nanotechnology, Norway
Get access

Abstract

We determine the plasmon energies of the skutterudites CoP3, CoAs3 and CoSb3 by electron energy loss spectroscopy, and compare with calculated values from the Drude model and density functional theory (DFT). For these compounds, whose doped versions have potential applications as thermoelectric materials, there is a relatively large discrepancy between experiment and theory based on the Drude model as well as the DFT-calculations. We also study the transitions from occupied to unoccupied states near the Fermi-level that show up at energies lower than the plasmon energies. The features observed are in general agreement with the DFT-calculations.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2006

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1. Uher, C., Semiconductors and semimetals 69, 139 (2001).Google Scholar
2. Chen, G., Dresselhaus, M. S., Dresselhaus, G. et al. , International Materials Reviews 48, 45 (2003).Google Scholar
3. Caillat, T., Kulleck, J., Borshchevsky, A. et al. , Journal of Applied Physics 79, 8419 (1996).Google Scholar
4. Caillat, T., Borshchevsky, A. and Fleurial, J.-P., Journal of Applied Physics 80, 4442 (1996).Google Scholar
5. Watcharapasorn, A., DeMattei, R. C., Feigelson, R. S. et al. , Journal of Applied Physics 86, 6213 (1999).Google Scholar
6. Kresse, G. and Hafner, J., Phys. Rev. B 47, R558 (1993).Google Scholar
7. Kresse, G. and Furthmüller, J., Phys. Rev. B 54, 11169 (1996).Google Scholar
8. Blaha, P., Schwarz, K., Madsen, G., Kvasnicka, D., and Luitz, J., WIEN2k, an Augmented Plane Wave + Local Orbitals Program for Calculating Crystal Properties. Schwarz, K., TU Wien, Austria. ISBN 3–9501031-1–2 (2001).Google Scholar
9. Egerton, R. F., Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy in the Electron Microscope, 1st ed. (Plenum Press, New York, 1986).Google Scholar
10. Ahn, C. C. (editor), Transmission Electron Energy Loss Spectrometry in Materials Science and the EELS Atlas, 2nd ed. (Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim, 2004).Google Scholar