Influence of electrical properties on thermal boundary conductance at metal/semiconductor interface

Q Q. Pompidou (ITheMM, Université de Reims Champagne-Ardennes URCA 1 , Moulin de la Housse, BP 1039, 51100 Reims,) C C. Acosta (INSA de Lyon, CETHIL, UMR5008 2 , 69621 Villeurbanne,) M M. Brouillard (Univ. Lille, CNRS, Univ. Polytechnique Hauts-de-France, Junia, UMR 8520 - IEMN - Institut d'Electronique de Microélectronique et de Nanotechnologie, F-59000 Lille 3 ,) N N. Bercu (Light nanomaterials, nanotechnologies laboratory, CNRS UMR 7076, University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne 2 , Reims,) L L. Giraudet (L2n, UMR CNRS 7076, Université de Technologie de Troyes 4 , 12 rue Marie Curie, 10004 Troyes,) R R. Sheikh (Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Pittsburgh 5 , Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213,) C C. Adessi (Institut Lumière Matière, UMR5306, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1-CNRS, Université de Lyon 6 , Villeurbanne 69622,) S S. Mérabia (Institut Lumière Matière, UMR5306, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1-CNRS, Université de Lyon 6 , Villeurbanne 69622,) S S. Gomès (INSA de Lyon, CETHIL, UMR5008 2 , 69621 Villeurbanne,) P P.-O. Chapuis (INSA de Lyon, CETHIL, UMR5008 2 , 69621 Villeurbanne,) J J.-F. Robillard (Univ. Lille, CNRS, Univ. Polytechnique Hauts-de-France, Junia, UMR 8520 - IEMN - Institut d'Electronique de Microélectronique et de Nanotechnologie, F-59000 Lille 3 ,) M M. Chirtoc (ITheMM Laboratory, Université de Reims Champagne-Ardennes URCA 7 , Moulin de la Housse, BP 1039, 51100 Reims,) N N. Horny (ITheMM Laboratory, Université de Reims Champagne-Ardennes URCA 7 , Moulin de la Housse, BP 1039, 51100 Reims,)

Abstract

Recent experimental investigations have demonstrated that doping a semiconductor is a route to increase the thermal boundary conductance at metal/semiconductor interfaces. In this work, the influence of the electrical properties on heat transfer across metal/doped semiconductor junctions is investigated. Specifically, thermal boundary conductance at the interfaces between p- and n-doped silicon and titanium is measured by employing frequency-domain photothermal radiometry under varying external conditions. The influence of the doping level of the semiconductor, the barrier height, and the space charge area is analyzed. In particular, a 40% increase in the interface thermal conductance with the application of a current at n-doped silicon/titanium interfaces is reported. The enhancement of the thermal boundary conductance is explained by the shrinking of the surface charga area induced by the electric current. This study opens the way to modulating interfacial heat transfer at metal/semiconductor interfaces through fine tuning of electrical effects.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 139, Issue 2
Published January 14, 2026
ISSN 0021-8979
Publisher American Institute of Physics

Journal Info

Journal of Applied Physics

American Institute of Physics

ISSN: 0021-8979 Physical Sciences

Authors (13)

Q

Q. Pompidou

ITheMM, Université de Reims Champagne-Ardennes URCA 1 , Moulin de la Housse, BP 1039, 51100 Reims,

C

C. Acosta

INSA de Lyon, CETHIL, UMR5008 2 , 69621 Villeurbanne,

M

M. Brouillard

Univ. Lille, CNRS, Univ. Polytechnique Hauts-de-France, Junia, UMR 8520 - IEMN - Institut d'Electronique de Microélectronique et de Nanotechnologie, F-59000 Lille 3 ,

N

N. Bercu

Light nanomaterials, nanotechnologies laboratory, CNRS UMR 7076, University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne 2 , Reims,

L

L. Giraudet

L2n, UMR CNRS 7076, Université de Technologie de Troyes 4 , 12 rue Marie Curie, 10004 Troyes,

R

R. Sheikh

Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Pittsburgh 5 , Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213,

C

C. Adessi

Institut Lumière Matière, UMR5306, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1-CNRS, Université de Lyon 6 , Villeurbanne 69622,

S

S. Mérabia

Institut Lumière Matière, UMR5306, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1-CNRS, Université de Lyon 6 , Villeurbanne 69622,

S

S. Gomès

INSA de Lyon, CETHIL, UMR5008 2 , 69621 Villeurbanne,

P

P.-O. Chapuis

INSA de Lyon, CETHIL, UMR5008 2 , 69621 Villeurbanne,

J

J.-F. Robillard

Univ. Lille, CNRS, Univ. Polytechnique Hauts-de-France, Junia, UMR 8520 - IEMN - Institut d'Electronique de Microélectronique et de Nanotechnologie, F-59000 Lille 3 ,

M

M. Chirtoc

ITheMM Laboratory, Université de Reims Champagne-Ardennes URCA 7 , Moulin de la Housse, BP 1039, 51100 Reims,

N

N. Horny

ITheMM Laboratory, Université de Reims Champagne-Ardennes URCA 7 , Moulin de la Housse, BP 1039, 51100 Reims,