We present experimental data on the dielectric behavior of solid molecular hydrogen to pressures up to 220 GPa. To complement these measurements, a calculation of the interband dielectric response was done for two prototype structures of hcp molecular solid hydrogen. It is shown that this theoretical approach allows a more complete analysis of the experimental data on compressed solid molecular hydrogen than previously possible.

• Received 11 October 1991

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.45.9709