Keele Research Repository

Ellipsometric measurements at the film-substrate interface of the optical constants of five lanthanide metals, (Nd, Gd, Tb, Dy and Yb), have been made within 0.5 and 5.5eV. General agreement was found with theoretically predicted conductivity from A.P.W. energy band calculations and the experimental data. The change in a due to the magnetic ordering of Gd, Tb and Dy was assumed to be due to the creation and destruction of available transitions caused by a rigid splitting of the bands. Surprisingly good agreement was found with this model.