A NEW PLATE COATING AND STRUCTURE FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC USE. THE COATING COMPRISES A MIXTURE OF HEXAGONAL SELENIUM IN A MATRIX OF AMORPHOUS SELENIUM WITH THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE HEXAGONAL COMPONENT CONTROLLED TO ACHIEVE PANCHROMATIC SENSITIVITY TO ILLUMINATION THROUGH THE VISIBLE SPECTRUM AND GREATLY IMPROVED TONAL RENDITION OF LARGE DARK AREAS. METHODS FOR FORMING THE MATRIX ARE ALSO DISCLOSED.