SPECIFIC FEATURES IN THE THERMAL-CONDUCTIVITY OF SYNTHETIC OPALS

Data on the thermal conductivity chi(ph) of the cluster lattice of syn thetic opals are analyzed. All opals are divided into two groups accor ding to the temperature dependence of their chi(ph) These are opals-1, whose thermal conductivity behaves like chi(ph)(T) of quasi-crystalli ne materials, and opals-2, with a chi(ph)(T) dependence typical of cla ssical amorphous solids. Possible reasons for this difference are cons idered. An attempt is made to explain the complex temperature hysteres is in chi(ph)(T) observed earlier in opals-2. (C) 1997 American Instit ute of Physics.