Optical properties and electronic characteristics of praseodymium and neodymium in the condensed state

The optical properties of unoxidized surfaces of polycrystalline Pr and Nd films in the spectral range 0.4–2.6 $\mu$m are studied. Optical constants were measured by Beattie ellipsometric method. Dispersion dependences of the optical conductivity $\sigma$, the reflectivity $R$, imaginary and real parts of the dielectric constant $\varepsilon_1$ and $\varepsilon_2$, and the function of characteristic electron energy losses $\operatorname{Im}(\varepsilon)^{-1}$ were calculated using the obtained optical constants. The paper presents the optical properties of both films and liquid metals studied earlier. The electronic characteristics of praseodymium and neodymium in solid thin-film and liquid states are calculated using the results of measurements in the infrared region of the spectrum using the two-band conductivity model.