Lattice thermal conductivity of a silicon nanowire under surface stress

The effects of surface stress on the lattice thermal conductivity are investigated for a silicon nanowire. A phonon dispersion relation is derived based on a continuum approach for a nanowire under surface stress. The phonon Boltzmann equation and the relaxation time are employed to calculate the lattice thermal conductivity. Surface stress, which has a significant influence on the phonon dispersion and thus the Debye temperature, decreases the …