UV-VIS spectra of small iron particles

UV-VIS absorption spectra of ultrafine iron particles obtained in microemulsions were measured from 290 nm up to 550 nm. There was observed the existence of three bands and a band shift towards a higher energy region by 0.1-0.2 eV compared with that of bulk iron. This energy shift can be interpreted in terms of a quantum size effect. The electron-hole effective mass is evaluated to be 0.20 times the mass of a bare electron.<
>