  We have obtained mid-infrared optical absorption spectra of the S=1/2 quasi
one-dimensional CuO using polarized transmission measurement and interpreted
the spectra in terms of phonon assisted magnetic excitations. When the electric
field is parallel to the main antiferromagnetic direction a Delta shaped peak
is observed with the maximum at 0.23eV which is attributed to spinons along
Cu-O chains. At low temperatures in the antiferromagnetic phase another peak
appears at 0.16eV which is attributed to two-magnon absorption but the spinon
peak remains. This behavior is interpreted as due to a dimensional crossover
where the low temperature three-dimensional magnetic phase keeps short range
characteristics of a one-dimensional magnet.
