Optical Properties of NiO and CoO

Abstract

The optical reflectance spectra of the transition-metal oxides NiO and CoO have been measured over the energy range from 1 to 26 eV. The optical constants have been derived by means of a Kramers-Kr\"onig analysis of their reflectance spectra. Structure in reflectance is found at 4.0, 4.8, 5.9, 7.2, 8.25, 12.8, 13.6, and 17.8 eV in NiO, and at 5.5, 7.5, 12.6, and 17.5 eV in CoO. The positions of high-energy structure in their absorption coefficients is consistent with maxima in their respective optical densities of states determined from photoemission data. Two alternative interpretations are given for the structure in NiO between 4.0 and 9.0 eV. One interpretation involves oxygen $p$ and nickel $d$ states in localized excitations, and the other involves the nickel $d$ states and the "$4s$" band. Distinction between models on the basis of presently available photoconductivity data is found to be questionable.