Phonon mode at interface and its impact on interfacial thermal transport

Abstract Due to the minimization and integration of micro/nano-devices, the high density of interfaces becomes a significant challenge in various applications. Phonon modes at interface resulting from the mismatch between inhomogeneous functional counterparts are crucial for interfacial thermal transport and overall thermal management of micro/nano-devices, making it a topic of great research interest recently. Here, we comprehensively review the recent advances on the theoretical and experimental investigations of interfacial phonon mode and its impact on interfacial thermal transport. Firstly, we summarize the recent progresses of the theoretical and experimental characterization of interfacial phonon modes at various interfaces, along with the overview of the development of diverse methodologies. Then, the impact of interfacial phonon modes on interfacial thermal transport process are discussed from the normal modal decomposition and inelastic scattering mechanisms. Meanwhile, we examine various factors influencing the interfacial phonon modes and interfacial thermal transport, including temperature, interface roughness, interfacial mass gradient, interfacial disorder, and so on. Finally, an outlook is provided for future studies. This review provides a fundamental understanding of interfacial phonon modes and their impact on interfacial thermal transport, which would be beneficial for the exploration and optimization of thermal management in various micro/nano-devices with high density interfaces.