Optical studies of the vibrational properties of disordered solids

Abstract

Since approximately 1950 an increasing portion of experimental solid state physics research has been concerned with studying defects in crystals. This trend might appear to be a rather belated recognition that most of the materials we come into contact with have a random structure. In fact the theoretical understanding and controlled preparation of compounds with defects or random structure has been very slow in developing. The present paper examines and reviews our knowledge of the lattice vibrations associated with defects. The coverage is extremely broad, as shown by the table of contents. It includes localized and resonant modes of isolated defects as well as the modes in highly disordered mixed crystals and glasses. It is primarily a review of experimental work but theoretical results are included where the latter explain or predict significant features. In order to be self-contained several sections of the paper deal entirely with theoretical matters. There is a chapter on explicit solutions of the linear chain vibration problem and a short chapter on Green's function methods. The review emphasizes the infrared absorption and Raman scattering of defects. This is simply because other techniques have not yielded nearly so much information. Neutron scattering and electron tunneling are referred to only where they have shed light on certain systems. Extensive tables of defects and mode frequencies are included for each type of solid. The major solids which are reviewed include semiconductors, ionic compounds, organic compounds, and amorphous insulators.