The Electrical Conductivity of Liquid Selenium and Selenium-Tellurium Mixtures

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Abstract
The electrical conductivity of liquid selenium and selenium‐tellurium mixtures was studied in detail. Measurements in the temperature range 230° to 500°C from dc to 1 mc/sec indicated the conductivities to be frequency‐independent at low field strength (−4 ohm−1 cm−1 (pure Se) to 2.08×10−1 ohm−1 cm−1 (50.3 percent Se, 49.7 percent Te) at 480°C and a decrease in activation energy from 1.14 ev to 0.84 ev. Comparatively good reproducibility was obtained in the measurements. An attempt to study ionic migration in liquid selenium by tracer methods has thus far not given satisfactory results. The conductivity values obtained for pure selenium are in good agreement with those presented by Henkels but disagree with those of Borelius. The electrical characteristics of liquid selenium and selenium‐tellurium mixtures indicate that hole conduction as pictured for selenium in the solid state cannot be considered as an adequate explanation of the conduction process in these liquids. A complex mixture of conduction by electrons, holes, and ions is believed to exist.

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