Se

Selenium · Grey Selenium, Metallic Selenium

Selenium is a stable, semiconducting element widely utilized for its light-sensitive properties in electronics and industrial manufacturing.

Se
Crystal structure of Se
Ground-state structure · Materials Project
Overview

About Selenium

Selenium is a fundamental semiconducting element that plays a critical role in modern materials science. As a thermodynamically stable phase, it serves as a reliable building block for various optoelectronic and industrial applications, valued for its distinct ability to conduct electricity under specific conditions.

Its importance stems from its unique electronic character, which allows it to be utilized effectively in light-sensitive devices and chemical processes. With a vast array of reported structural configurations, it remains one of the most extensively studied elements in its class, providing a robust foundation for technological innovation.

At a glance

Key Properties

Cross-validated computational properties for Selenium, aggregated across 5 databases.

Band Gap

0.88–1.77 eV
Range across DFT structures

Energy Above Hull

0.000 eV/atom
Best (lowest) across sources

Stability

On hull (stable)
3 DFT sources

Structures

87
5 databases, 10 space groups
Validation

Cross-Source DFT Agreement

How well independent DFT databases agree on the thermodynamics of Se. Tight agreement means computed properties can be trusted without re-running calculations.

Agreement Score

1.00 / 1.00
Trust tier: high

Hull Spread

0.000 eV
EAH spread across sources

Sources Compared

3
jarvis, materials_project, nomad

Space Group Consensus

All match
Synthesis

Synthesis Routes

Literature-extracted synthesis procedures targeting Se.

Sol Gel
Procedure available · ceder_sol_gel
Sol Gel
Procedure available · ceder_sol_gel
Sol Gel
Procedure available · ceder_sol_gel
Sol Gel
Procedure available · ceder_sol_gel
Sol Gel
Procedure available · ceder_sol_gel
Sol Gel
Procedure available · ceder_sol_gel
Uses

Applications

Where Selenium is used.

Photovoltaic cellsPhotoconductorsGlass manufacturingRectifiersPigment production
Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Selenium, answered from cross-validated data.

What is Se?

Selenium is a stable, semiconducting element widely utilized for its light-sensitive properties in electronics and industrial manufacturing.

More questions
What is Se used for?
Selenium (Se) is used in photovoltaic cells, photoconductors, glass manufacturing, rectifiers, and pigment production.
What is the band gap of Se?
Selenium (Se) has a DFT-computed band gap of 0.88–1.77 eV across 87 reported structures.
Is Se a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
With a band gap up to 1.77 eV it is a semiconductor.
Is Se thermodynamically stable?
Yes — Selenium (Se) sits on the convex hull (energy above hull 0 eV/atom), i.e. on hull (stable).
How many polymorphs of Se are known?
87 structures of Se are reported across 5 databases, spanning 10 distinct space groups.
How is Se synthesized?
Literature-reported routes for Se include sol gel (10 procedures documented).
What elements does Se contain?
Selenium (Se) contains Se (1 element).
Where does the data for Se come from?
Se data is cross-referenced from latticegraph.
Comparison

How It Compares

As a standalone elemental semiconductor, Selenium occupies a central role in materials science, serving as a primary reference point for understanding chalcogen-based electronic behavior and structural polymorphism.

Data sources & attribution
  • latticegraph — Lattice Graph Materials Intelligence Platform

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