Eur. Phys. J. B 35, 233-238 (2003)
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/e2003-00273-5

Electro-reflectance spectra of blue bronze

¹ Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506-0055, USA
² Institute of Semiconductor Physics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 45 Prospect Nauki, Kiev, 03028 Ukraine

Corresponding author: ^a jwbrill@uky.edu

Received: 23 June 2003
Published online: 2 October 2003

Abstract

We show that the infrared reflectance of the quasi-one dimensional charge-density-wave (CDW) conductor K_0.3MoO₃ (blue bronze) varies with position when a voltage greater than the CDW depinning threshold is applied. The spatial dependence and spectra associated with these changes are generally as expected from the electro-transmission [B.M. Emerling, et al., Eur. Phys. J. B 16, 295 (2000)], but there are differences which might be associated with changes in the CDW properties on the surface. We have examined the electro-reflectance spectrum associated with CDW current investigation for light polarized parallel to the conducting chains for signs of expected current-induced intragap states, and conclude that the density of any such states is at least an order of magnitude less than expected.