Beryllium Selenide

Beryllium selenide (BeSe) is a compound composed of beryllium and selenium. It has a crystal structure that belongs to the zincblende group, with each beryllium atom surrounded by four selenium atoms in tetrahedral coordination.

Beryllium selenide is a semiconductor material with a band gap energy of about 5.1 eV at room temperature. It has potential applications in optoelectronic devices such as light-emitting diodes and solar cells due to its wide and direct bandgap.

Beryllium selenide is relatively resistant to chemical reactions with common acids and bases, but it can react with strong oxidizing agents such as nitric acid or hydrogen peroxide. It should be handled with care as beryllium compounds are toxic and can cause lung damage if inhaled.

In terms of physical properties, beryllium selenide has a high melting point of about 1900°C and a hardness of about 6.5 on the Mohs scale. Its thermal conductivity is relatively low compared to other semiconductors, and it exhibits piezoelectricity and pyroelectricity.

Overall, beryllium selenide is an interesting and potentially useful material in the field of optoelectronics, but its toxicity and difficulty in handling make it challenging to work with.