Electronic properties of δ-Ce

In order to gain a valuable insight into the essence of 4f electron in the δ phase cerium (bcc structure), full-potential linearized augmented plane wave method supplemented with GGA + U correction has been employed to study its bulk, electronic, and optical properties. The present equilibrium volume and bulk modulus are in accord with the experimental values. The 4f spectrum only consists two separate Hubbard bands, and at Fermi level the spectral weight of 4f characters can be neglect. It is argued that the f electron in δ phase is highly correlated. The surprising similarity between the dielectric functions of δ-Ce and γ-Ce is also addressed, which can be understood in the resemblance of degree of 4f electron correlation