Thermal conductivity of polycrystalline zinc selenide

The thermal conductivity of optically transparent zinc selenide polycrystals fabricated by vapor deposition was experimentally studied in the temperature range 80–400 K in the as-deposited state and after deformation along the crystal growth direction followed by recrystallization. In the low-temperature range, textured ZnSe samples exhibit anisotropy of the thermal conductivity, which also persisted after their deformation and recrystallization. The anisotropy of the thermal conductivity is caused by phonon scattering by dislocations oriented along the crystal growth direction. The thermal conductivity of ZnSe at T>270 K is shown to be limited by the scattering of acoustic phonons by optical phonons.