Recently, InSb semiconductor appears to be very promising for the fabrication of super-resolution optical disks.The thermal properties of InSb semiconductor, whether in optical storage or electrical memory, significantly influence the performance of devices. However, the temperature dependent thermal parameters of InSb, particularly above ambient temperature, have rarely been reported.

Researchers at Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fines Mechanics (SIOM/China) reported systematically the temperature evolution of several important thermal properties of crystalline InSb semiconductor. Results show that the specific heat and thermal expansion coefficient remain virtually unchanged upon heating, whereas the thermal diffusivity and thermal conductivity gradually decrease with increasing temperature. They investigated the thermal conductivities from phonons, electrons, and photon radiations, respectively. Analytical results indicate that thermal conductivity from phonons is dominant when the temperature is between 300 K and 800 K. The commonly used thermal parameters of Sb, Sb₂Te₃, and InSb at near room temperature are summarized. Compared with other Sb-based phase-change materials, such as Sb₂Te₃, InSb is markedly more thermally active, i.e., with much higher thermal conductivity. These thermal results offer useful information for the development of InSb-based devices.[JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS.114(3), 083507,2013]