Local structure in crystalline and liquid tellurium probed by X-ray absorption spectroscopy

We have performed high-quality X-ray absorption measurements on crystalline (c-Te) and liquid (l-Te) tellurium. Performing a consistent analysis that takes into account the contribution of the medium range structure, we have determined reliable pair correlation functions in l-Te up to 3.5 Angstrom, and we confirm the existence of stronger and weaker first-neighbour interactions, responsible of the band-gap filling at the Fermi level. A complete ab initio multiple scattering calculation have been applied to evaluate temperature dependence of short-range properties in c-Te.