This article is cited in 47 papers

REVIEWS OF TOPICAL PROBLEMS

Effect of isotopic composition on phonon modes. Static atomic displacements in crystals

A. P. Zhernov^a, A. V. Inyushkin<sup>b

a</sup> Institute for Superconductivity and Solid State Physics, Russian Research Centre "Kurchatov Institute"
^b Institute of Molecular Physics, Russian Research Center "Kurchatov Institute"

Abstract: Theoretical and experimental work relevant to isotopic (mass) effects in solids is reviewed. The effect of isotopic composition on the phonon spectrum is discussed with particular emphasis on chemically pure and nearly perfect semiconductor single crystals. The fundamental role of polarization vectors in polyatomic compounds is pointed out. Static atomic displacements around isotopic impurities — an effect potentially leading to considerable phonon (and electron) scattering in strongly anharmonic crystals — are also discussed.

PACS: 61.66.-f, 61.72.Ji, 63.20.-e

Received: March 14, 2001

DOI: 10.3367/UFNr.0171.200108b.0827

 English version: Physics–Uspekhi, 2001, 44:8, 785–811

Bibliographic databases:

• 
•