An accurate determination of the surface energy of solid selenium

Abstract

Selenium is currently a key element for developing nano and micro-technologies. Nevertheless, the surface energy of solid selenium (γ Se) reported in the literature is still questionable. In this work, we have measured γ Se 0.291 ± 0.025 J/m2 at 293 K using the sessile drop technique with different probe liquids, namely ethylene glycol, de-ionized water, mercury, and gallium. This value is in excellent agreement with theoretical predictions. © 2012 American Institute of Physics.