Student: Weldu Gebremichael (UNLV)

Mentor: Andrew Cornelius

Structural Study of CrSi₂ at High Pressures and Temperatures

Transition metal disilicides have found important technological applications in silicon-based microelectronics due to their high temperature stability and thermoelectric properties. CrSi₂ is an indirect band gap superconductor with an energy gap of 0.35 eV which could find potential application in the Schottky barrier solar cell applications. It is also a potential thermoelectric material that can be utilized for generation electric power at high temperatures. We have performed in-situ angle dispersive x-ray diffraction at pressures up to 40 GPa using the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory. We have also investigated the structure at temperature from 273 K to 393 K. Our results confirm that because of its structural stability, CrSi₂ is an excellent high temperature material under extreme conditions of temperature and pressure.