Qualitative Determination of Impurities in Elemental Selenium by Infrared Spectrophotometry

Abstract

Infrared spectrophotometry can be applied to the detection of trace impurities and doping elements in high purity elemental selenium. The impurities examined include arsenic, sulfur, tellurium, and their oxides; chlorine, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, and selenious acid. Present results support earlier conclusions to the effect that the oxidation of impurities occurs readily in molten selenium. The band positions of sulfur dioxide dissolved in vitreous selenium show that the solution is analogous to solutions of sulfur dioxide in liquid sulfur and organic solvents.