Zn0.9Hg0.1Se1

Zn₀.₉Hg₀.₁Se is a narrow-bandgap II-VI semiconductor alloy composed of zinc selenide with 10% mercury substitution, forming a quaternary or ternary compound in the cadmium-mercury-telluride family. This material is primarily of research interest for infrared detection and optoelectronic applications, where mercury doping modifies the bandgap to enable sensitivity in the mid- to long-wave infrared spectrum. Compared to pure ZnSe (which operates in the visible to near-IR), mercury incorporation shifts the absorption edge into thermal imaging and thermal sensing regimes, though the material faces processing challenges and lower stability than mature alternatives like HgCdTe; it represents an emerging option for cost-sensitive or niche IR detector development.