ELECTROABSORPTION SPECTRUM OF BUCKMINSTERFULLERENE - EVIDENCE FOR THEEXISTENCE OF CHARGE-TRANSFER STATES

Theoretical considerations suggest that the buckminsterfullerene cryst al may have a distinct manifold Of excited charge transfer (CT) states . In the present paper, the energies of these states are estimated and their probable properties are discussed. The recently published elect ro-absorption spectrum of C60, originally interpreted in terms of a se t of bands originating from Frenkel (intramolecular) excitations, is d emonstrated to contain considerable contributions from the CT states. The CT states are located at about 2.7 and 4 eV, in excellent agreemen t with theoretical estimates. Some other consequences of the existence of excited CT states are predicted that are open to experimental veri fication.