Surface vibrations of silicon nitride: Inelastic neutron scattering study and computer modeling

In practice, the chemical formula Si3N4 represents a family of materials in which Si3N4 constitutes the major phase. The properties of each family member depends, in part, on its microstructure developed during manufacturing. In this paper, properties of five family members differing in their method of manufacture are considered microscopically from the surface chemistry viewpoint. To solve the problem we have studied the vibrational spectra and have performed semiempirical quantum chemical modeling of surface properties depending on the manufacturing ways. © 1994.