Structural and electronic properties of high-temperature fluid selenium

A semi-empirical tight-binding energy model is developed for selenium. It includes s and p electrons as well as an empirical description of the dispersion forces. The band structure parameters are obtained by fitting ab initio calculations. The simulated liquid structures are in very good agreement with the most recent X-ray scattering and EXAFS measurements. The Monte Carlo simulations performed show that the complex liquid structures observed result from the breaking and branching of the selenium chains. The total coordination number is shown to result from the balance between one-, two- and three-fold coordinated atoms. The role of these defects is discussed in relationship with the electrical conductivity of the liquid, i.e. the semi-conductor – metal and metal – non-metal transitions observed at high pressure and temperature.