Thermal wave propagation in single crystals of bismuth at 4 K

Abstract

We present preliminary results from continuous-wave experiments made on two single crystals of bismuth. The object of the experiments was the examination of the initial deviations from diffusive propagation with increasing thermal signal frequency. The thermal conductivity of bismuth is phonon-dominated at low temperatures and has a peak of the type found in good dielectric crystals. However, the observed initial deviations were not in quantitative agreement with results obtained by applying a simple theory of second sound in dielectric crystals.