Optical excitation of plasmons in a quasi-one-dimensional conductor

Authors

P. F. Williams, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow
M. A. Butler, Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill, New Jersey
D. L. Rousseau, Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill, New Jersey

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

August 1974

Comments

Published in Physical Review B Volume 10, Number 3, 1 August 1974. Copyright © 1974 American Physical Society. Used by permission.

Abstract

We have carefully determined the optical spectrum of K₂Pt(CN) ₄Br_0.3 - 3H₂O near the reflectivity edge. Our data reveal, in addition to the expected monotonic background, a broad peak in ε₂ (ω) above a threshold coinciding with the zero of ε₁ (ω) near 16000 cm^-1. We assign this band to indirect excitation of plasmons. Details of the excitation of plasmons are discussed with particular attention being paid to the problems presented by the one-dimensional character of the material. It is concluded that the electronic structure of this material cannot be adequately described by either a free-electron model or a one-band tight-binding model.