Phononic band engineering for thermal conduction control and similarity with photonic band engineering

There are some physical similarities in photonics and phononics; photon and phonon transports can be coherently controlled by micro/nanoscale artificial crystal structures known as a photonic crystal and a phononic crystal. Similarities and non-similarities of photon and phonon transports are discussed. The coherent manipulation of phonon transport by phononic crystal nanostructures is investigated. The possibility of thermal conduction nanoengineering with some simulation results in silicon at room temperature is discussed. The multiscale physics of thermal phonons makes coherent phonon transport control, i.e., heat transfer, more difficult. Clear reduction in a one-dimensional Si phonic crystal nanostructure compared with a nanowire of similar width is demonstrated. However, for clear demonstration of thermal conductivity control by phononic effect, low temperature measurements and/or smaller dimension will be required.