Optical evidence of Anderson-Mott localization in FeSi

Abstract

We have investigated the electrodynamic response of single-crystalline FeSi over a frequency range from d.c. to 10 hoch 5 cm-1. At low frequencies, we found evidence for an Anderson-Mott localization behaviour of the low-temperature optical conductivity, while at high frequencies the excitation spectrum resembles that of a conventional semiconductor. The missing spectral weight below the gap energy is redistributed around the gap edge, in disagreement with previous claims based on optical measurements.