A direct solution to the phonon Boltzmann equation

Abstract

The frequency dependent phonon Boltzmann equation is transformed to an integral equation over the irreducible part of the Brillouin zone. Simultaneous diagonalization of the collision kernel of that equation and a symmetry crystal class operator allow to obtain a spectral representation of the lattice thermal conductivity valid at finite frequency. The method is applied to C, Si and Mg$_2$Si to obtain the static and dynamical thermal conductivities.