Energy band structure of cadmium fluoride

The electronic band structure of cadmium fluoride is calculated by a combined tight binding and pseudopotential method. The band structure is found to be rather similar in shape with that of CaF₂. In particular it is shown that the occupied cationic d⁺ bands do not perturb significantly the upper valence band predominantly composed of the F^-p-orbital. This explains the great similarity of the low energy part of the reflection spectra of CaF₂ and CdF₂.