Phonons Under Spatial Confinement

J.L. Musfeldt University of Tennessee

Understanding the consequences of nanoscale confinement on materials functionality is
one of the ``grand challenges" in the physical sciences. In this talk, I will focus on the
issue of phonon confinement, discussing our recent measurements of both optical and
acoustic phonons in model materials. Specific systems of interest include transition metal
dichalcogenides (such as 2H- and IF-WS2) and complex oxides such as the spinels. In
each case, we work with both traditional bulk analogs + chemically identical but
morphologically different nanoscale materials, allowing us to quantify changes in
bonding, phonon density of states, strain-induced changes in local structure, and
engineering properties that derive from finite length scale effects.


2H IF

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