AbstractThe electroreflectance and thermoreflectance spectra of SnSe crystals are investigated in polarized light with E ∥ a and E ∥ b. The direct energy gaps are 1.05 and 1.24 eV for light polarizations E ∥ b and E ∥ a, respectively. The polarization anisotropy of modulation spectra of SnSe is strong near the gap and becomes weak at higher energies. The structures of investigated spectra in the vicinity of the forbidden energy gap are interpreted by direct optical transitions on the high symmetry line Λ‐Γ‐V in the calculated energy band structure.