Optical Structure near 20 meV in Valence-Fluctuation Compounds

F. E. Pinkerton; A. J. Sievers; J. W. Wilkins; M. B. Maple; B. C. Sales

doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.47.1018

Optical Structure near 20 meV in Valence-Fluctuation Compounds

F. E. Pinkerton, A. J. Sievers, J. W. Wilkins, M. B. Maple, and B. C. Sales

Phys. Rev. Lett. 47, 1018 – Published 5 October 1981

Abstract

The first measurement is reported of low-energy (20 meV) structure in the low-temperature dielectric function of two valence-fluctuation materials: Ce ${Pd}_{3}$ and Yb ${Cu}_{2}$ ${Si}_{2}$ . The structure is consistent with energy-dependent scattering of electrons off a resonant level whose width and position (relative to the Fermi level) are roughly comparable. No such structure is observed in the integral-valent materials Y ${Pd}_{3}$ , Dy ${Pd}_{3}$ , and Lu ${Cu}_{2}$ ${Si}_{2}$ . The valence-fluctuation compounds Ce ${Cu}_{2}$ ${Si}_{2}$ and Ce ${Al}_{3}$ do not show a resonance above 4 meV.

Received 16 March 1981

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.47.1018

Authors & Affiliations

F. E. Pinkerton^*, A. J. Sievers, and J. W. Wilkins

Materials Science Center and Laboratory of Atomic and Solid State Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853

M. B. Maple and B. C. Sales^†

Institute for Pure and Applied Physical Sciences, University of California-San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093

^*Present address: Physics Department, General Motors Research Laboratories, Warren, Mich. 48090.
^†Present address: Solid State Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tenn. 37830.