The new switching effect in liquid selenium

Liquid selenium shows above 720°C a reversible switching from higher to lower conductance effected by an electric field. Below 720°C liquid selenium switches first to higher and then to lower conductance. After switching to low conductance, a voltage controlled negative resistance is observed. By means of a single pulse technique the current oscillograms of the switchings (switching to high conductance, to low conductance and multi-switching) are investigated. The influence of magnetic field upon the switching (delay time and threshold voltage) is investigated. An electronic explanation for the switching and the influence of the magnetic field on it is given.