Optical Conductivity and Electronic Structure of CeRu4Sb12 under High Pressure

TL;DR

This study investigates how high pressure affects the electronic structure of CeRu4Sb12, revealing a transition towards a narrow-gap semiconductor state through optical conductivity measurements up to 8 GPa.

Contribution

It provides new insights into pressure-induced electronic structure changes in CeRu4Sb12, combining experimental optical data with band calculations.

Findings

Mid-infrared peak shifts to higher energy with pressure

Spectral weight below 0.1 eV decreases under pressure

Electronic structure approaches that of a narrow-gap semiconductor

Abstract

Optical conductivity [s(w)] of Ce-filled skutterudite CeRu4Sb12 has been measured at high pressure to 8 GPa and at low temperature, to probe the pressure evolution of its electronic structures. At ambient pressure, a mid-infrared peak at 0.1 eV was formed in s(w) at low temperature, and the spectral weight below 0.1 eV was strongly suppressed, due to a hybridization of the f electron and conduction electron states. With increasing external pressure, the mid-infrared peak shifts to higher energy, and the spectral weight below the peak was further depleted. The obtained spectral data are analyzed in comparison with band calculation result and other reported physical properties. It is shown that the electronic structure of CeRu4Sb12 becomes similar to that of a narrow-gap semiconductor under external pressure.