Optical investigations on $Y_{2-x} Bi_x Ru_2 O_7$: Electronic structure evolutions related to the metal-insulator transition

Abstract

Optical conductivity spectra of cubic pyrochlore $Y_{2-x} Bi_x Ru_2 O_7$ (0.0$\leq ${\it x}$\leq $2.0) compounds are investigated. As a metal-insulator transition (MIT) occurs around {\it x}$=$0.8, large spectral changes are observed. With increase of {\it x}, the correlation-induced peak between the lower and the upper Hubbard bands seems to be suppressed, and a strong mid-infrared feature is observed. In addition, the $p-d$ charge transfer peak shifts to the lower energies. The spectral changes cannot be explained by electronic structural evolutions in the simple bandwidth-controlled MIT picture, but are consistent with those in the filling-controlled MIT picture. In addition, they are also similar to the spectral changes of Y$_{2-x}$Ca$_{x}$Ru$_{2}$O$_{7}$ compounds, which is a typical filling-controlled system. This work suggests that, near the MIT, the Ru bands could be doped with the easily polarizable Bi cations.