The electronic structure and elastic properties of the actinide chalcogenides (U,Np,Pu,Am): the puzzle of AmTe

Most people seem to agree that the 5f state in the uranium chalcogenides is a relatively broad (about 1 eV wide) band and in Cm compounds the 5f state is localized. We follow the width and hybridization of the 5f states from the uranium chalcogenides to AmTe. The simple crystal structure and the availability of large single crystals permitted new and unusual measurements. The electrical transport properties (measured between dc and optical frequencies), the magnetic susceptibilities and magnetization (between 1K and 1000 K, and between 10 Oe and 100 kOe), and the specific heat and its γ value are correlated to derive the electronic structure and relative arrangement of p, d and f states. In addition to electronic properties the elastic and phononic properties are measured and used to support the electronic structure