X-Ray spectroscopic evidence for chemical bonding in manganese selenide (MnSe)

K absorption spectra of manganese and selenium have been recorded photographically in the pure metals and in the intermetallic compound manganese selenide (MnSe), employing a bent crystal X-ray spectrograph. It has been observed that the Mn K absorption discontinuity in MnSe shifts by 5·6 eV toward the high energy side with respect to the discontinuity in the pure metal. On the other hand, the Se K edge in MnSe is found to shift by 3·4 eV toward the low energy side with respect to the discontinuity in pure selenium. Also, emission work has revealed that the Mn K_β5 band in the compound shifts by about 5 eV toward the high energy side with respect to that in the pure metal. It has been shown that these results confirm the resonatingp ³ type of chemical bonding in the compound, as suggested theoretically by Pearson.