The thermal conductivity of cadmium arsenide

Measurements of the thermal conductivity and Righi-Leduc coefficient of Cd3As2 have been made in a transverse magnetic field of up to about 2 T, at temperatures between 68 °K and 300 °K. For one sample the measurements have been extended down to 8 °K. The measurements have allowed the separation of the lattice and electronic components of the thermal conductivity. It is found that, owing to inelastic scattering of the electrons, the Lorenz number is usually much less than the normal value. The lattice conductivity falls continuously with increasing temperature, reaching a value of about 1 wm−1 deg−1 at 300 °K for most of the samples studied. An anomalously high value of the thermal conductivity was observed for one sample that had an exceptionally high carrier concentration.