Optical absorption of molybdenum thin films between 0.32 and 5.50 eV: Interpretation in terms of energy band transitions

We report, between 0.32 and 5.50 eV, the optical conductivity of polycrystalline thin films of molybdenum. The films have been deposited in ultra high vacuum and the measurements have been carried out in situ. We observe two maxima at 2.75 and 4.0 eV and two shoulders at 1.85 and 5.1 eV. The structure is understood in terms of interband transitions, the conductivity is compared to a joint density of states histogram deduced from Petroff and Viswanathan energy bands.