Zinc Selenide – ZnSe
lenses, windows, mirrors, filters and prisms
Zinc Selenide – ZnSe is used for Infrared windows, lenses, mirrors and prisms in the region 0.5 microns to 22 microns, major uses being laser optics and Forward Looking IR systems (FLIR).
Transmission Range | 0.5 – 22.0 µ |
Crystal Structure | Polycrystalline Cubic |
Cleavage Plane | None |
Colour | Yellow |
Density | 5.27 |
Melting Point (°) | 1525 |
Reflection Loss | 29% (10.6µ) for 2 surfaces |
Solubility index | Insoluble |
Hardness (Knoop) | 120/50gm indenter |
Thermal Conductivity (cal/cm sec°C) | 18Wm-1 °K-1 (25°C) |
Thermal Expansion coefficient (/°C) | 7.57×10-6/°K |
Zinc Selenide has very low absorption of energy making it extremely useful for optical components in high power laser window applications. ZnSe is also valuable in high resolution thermal imaging systems, where it can correct for colour distortion, often inherent in other lenses used in the process.
We tend to sell more Zinc Selenide windows and Zinc Selenide lenses than mirrors, filters or prisms.

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