Crystalline tin selenide semiconductor was synthesized by a chemical route. Selenium powder reacted with potassium boronhydride, giving a soluble selenium species potassium seleniumhydride. The reaction of potassium seleniumhydride with tin chloride produced crystalline tin selenide, which was characterized by X-ray diffraction, Sn-119 Mossbauer spectroscopy and scanning electronic microscopy. The material was thermally treated, in nitrogen flow, at 300 and 600 degrees C for 2 h and the particle size evolution was studied by X-ray diffraction. The X-ray diffraction and Sn-119 Mossbauer results showed that a mixture of tin oxides and orthorhombic tin selenide was obtained. (C) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.