Cd0.5Hg0.5Se1

Cd₀.₅Hg₀.₅Se is a cadmium-mercury-selenide ternary semiconductor alloy belonging to the II-VI compound semiconductor family. This material is primarily of research and specialized optoelectronic interest, particularly for infrared and mid-infrared detection applications where its tunable bandgap—controlled by the cadmium-to-mercury ratio—enables sensitivity across the 2–12 μm wavelength range. The alloy system is notable for achieving lower energy bandgaps than binary CdSe or HgSe alone, making it attractive for thermal imaging, spectroscopy, and space-based infrared sensing, though its toxicity and limited commercial availability make it less common than modern alternatives like HgCdTe or InSb in production systems.