Zinc selenide (ZnSe) is a binary chemical compound with various practical applications. Some of its main uses include:
Infrared Optics: ZnSe is highly transparent to infrared light, making it an ideal material for lenses, windows, and optical components in infrared spectroscopy, thermal imaging systems, and night vision technology.
Semiconductor Industry: Due to its band gap properties, it's used in semiconductors for light-emitting diodes (LEDs), laser diodes, and photovoltaic cells.
Medical Imaging: Its infrared transparency makes it suitable for components in medical imaging devices, particularly those that require infrared light.
CO2 Lasers: ZnSe is commonly used in the optics of CO2 lasers due to its ability to withstand high-energy infrared light.
Optoelectronics: It is used in various optoelectronic applications, including light detectors and photovoltaic cells.
Military & Defense: Used in mounted and portable applications, such as laser illuminators, rangefinders, telescope optics, and gain crystal assemblies.
These diverse applications demonstrate the versatility of zinc selenide in both industrial and scientific fields, particularly where infrared optics and semiconductor technology are involved.