New results covering a wide frequency and temperature range are presented for the infrared properties of YBa₂Cu₃O_7-δ for light polarized in the ab plane. The normal-state optical conductivity can be described by two processes: a low-frequency Drude absorption that tracks the temperature dependence of the dc conductivity and a temperature-independent midinfrared band. In the superconducting state most of the oscillator strength of the Drude absorption moves to zero frequency and the reflectance spectrum is dominated by a plasma edge at 500 cm^-1. A superconducting gap cannot be seen in our spectra.
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Timusk et al. (1988) studied this question.
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