Selenium cells

The manual begins with a technical overview of selenium as an element and its three physical forms, then compares cell designs and the principles by which a thin metallic selenium bridge varies resistance with illumination. It gives step-by-step instructions and tooling for building Fritts-style cells, including surface preparation, hot-press application of selenium and gold contacts, assembly and sealing. Detailed procedures for testing, maturing and measuring cell performance with bridge and substitution methods are provided along with treatments to adjust sensitivity. Practical uses and maintenance guidance cover photometry, optical signalling and recording, automatic controls, telephony-related applications, and battery-like current generation.