OPTICAL-PROPERTIES OF LIQUID AND SOLID ZIRCONIUM

The optical properties of pure liquid and solid zirconium were investi gated in the energy range 1.2-3.5 eV. Zirconium specimens were electro magnetically levitated and melted (melting point 2125 K), and purified of residual oxide and nitride contaminants by heating to temperatures above 2400 K. An automated dual-detector rotating analyzer ellipsomet er with a pulsed dye laser light source was employed to measure the op tical properties. Measurements were obtained over the full energy rang e at ca. 2335 K and for selected wavelengths at temperatures from 1850 -2600 K, including measurements on the undercooled liquid. Liquid zirc onium exhibited sharp peaks in the optical conductivity at 1.39 and 1. 55 eV, with 0.1 eV half-widths. Broader maxima occurred at approximate ly 2.1 and 2.9 eV and appeared to contain additional unresolved struct ure. Measurements on retrieved solid specimens showed some agreement w ith prior results on zirconium. Liquid zirconium exhibits greater stru cture in its optical property dependence on wavelength than does the p olycrystalline solid and some similarity to the results of theoretical calculations for single-crystal zirconium.