Photoionization cross sections of the fullerenes C20 and C60 calculated in a simple spherical model

The photoabsorption cross sections of the fullerenes C-20 and C-60 have been calculated using the local density and the random phase approximations. We have used a simple self-consistent spherical jellium model based on the KohnSharn equations to treat the delocalized electron structure of the fullerenes as well as their excitation spectra, both the discrete and continuum. The Mie-type resonances centred at 27 eV for C-20 and 20 eV for C-60, as well as the near-threshold prominent resonance structures have been described.