On the Assignment and Directional Dispersion of Polar Phonon Modes in K3Cu(CN)4 and K3Ag(CN)4

Abstract

Polar phonon modes in single crystalline K3Cu(CN)4 and K3Ag(CN)4 have been experimentally studied by light scattering. Measurements at 293, 82 and 6 K made possible assignments in the low frequency region from 0 to about 700 cm-1 and the high frequency region from 2030 to about 2100 cm-1 originating from the C≡N stretching vibrations. Directional dispersion due to the anisotropy of K3Cu(CN)4 has been studied and allowed the identification of the transversal and longitudinal vibrations in the high frequency region. IR-reflectivity measurements, partly on the basis of the ATR-method, have been used in order to support the assignments in this region.