Hydrodynamic model of the collective electron resonances in C60 fullerene

Abstract

The polarization-response spectrum of the fullerene C60 modeled as a homogeneous spherical plasma shell is calculated in the framework of the hydrodynamic approach, allowing for the spatial dispersion caused by the Fermi-distributed valence electrons. The dipole eigenoscillation spectrum of the shell is found to contain a series of plasmons distinguished by the frequency and the radial structure. The first two of them (whose structures for C60 are the subject of discussion up to now) pass to the lower and higher surface plasmons of the plasma shell if its thickness is much larger than the Tomas-Fermi length. However, under parameter values corresponding to the C60 molecule, when these lengths are of the same order, both these plasmons (providing the main contribution to the fullerene absorption spectrum) are found to be actually volume ones in their spatial structure, and the frequency of the higher of them becomes larger than the plasma frequency (as with all the higher volume plasmons). The resonance curve of the fullerene absorption cross-section calculated on the basis of the developed model with allowance for the surface losses caused by the reflection of electrons at the shell boundaries agrees well with the experimental data.