Heat transfer at nanoscale contacts investigated with scanning thermal microscopy

This article investigates heat transfer at nanoscale contacts through scanning thermal microscopy (SThM) under vacuum conditions. Measurements were performed using two types of resistive SThM probes operating in active mode on germanium and silicon samples. The experiments measure the heat transfer through the nanoscale point contacts formed between the probe apex, platinum-rhodium alloy, or silicon nitride depending on the probe used, and the samples. The thermal resistance at the probe apex-sample interface becomes extremely important as the contact size becomes smaller or comparable to the phonon mean free path within the materials in contact. This resistance is derived from the measurements using a nanoconstriction model. Consistent to what is expected, the interfacial thermal resistance is found to be dependent on the tip and sample. Assuming perfect interfaces, the thermal boundary resistance Rb is determined for the different contacts. Results obtained for Rb range from 10(-9) m(2) K W-1 up to 14 x 10(-9) m(2) K W-1 and have the same order of magnitude of values previously published for other materials. The determination of the averaged phonon transmission coefficient t from the data is discussed, and coefficients t for the Si3N4/Ge and Si3N4/Si contacts are estimated based on the diffuse mismatch model (t(Si3N4/Ge) = 0.5 and t(Si3N4/Si) = 0.9). (C) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC.