Superconductivity in the Fullerenes

Evidence of strong and mode-selective electron-phonon coupling in the topological superconductor candidate 2M-WS2

The interaction between lattice vibrations and electrons plays a key role in various aspects of condensed matter physics - including electron hydrodynamics, strange metal behavior, and high-temperature superconductivity. In this study, we present systematic investigations using Raman scattering and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) to examine the phononic and electronic subsystems of the topological superconductor candidate 2M-WS2. Raman scattering exhibits an anomalous nonmonotonic temperature dependence of phonon linewidths, indicative of strong phonon-electron scattering over phonon-phonon scattering. The ARPES results demonstrate pronounced dispersion anomalies (kinks) at multiple binding energies within both bulk and topological surface states, indicating a robust and mode-selective coupling between the electronic states and various phonon modes. These experimental findings align with previous calculations of the Eliashberg function, providing a deeper understanding of the highest superconducting transition temperature observed in 2M-WS2 (8.8 K) among all transition metal dichalcogenides as induced by electron-phonon coupling. Furthermore, our results may offer valuable insights into other properties of 2M-WS2 and guide the search for high-temperature topological superconductors.

Heteroatom-Promoted Polyhexagonal Saddle-Shaped Molecular Structures and their Supramolecular Coassembly with C60

Molecules with curved architecture can exhibit unique optoelectronic properties due to the concave-convex π-surface. However, synthesizing negatively curved saddle-shaped aromatic systems has been challenging due to the internal structural strain. Herein, we report the facile synthesis of two polyhexagonal molecular systems, 1 and 2, with saddle shape geometry by judiciously varying the aromatic moiety, avoiding the harsh synthetic methods as that of heptagonal aromatic saddle systems. The unique geometry preferences of B, N, and S furnish suitable curvature to the molecules, featuring saddle shape. The saddle geometry also enables them to interact with fullerene C60 , and the supramolecular interactions of fullerene C60 with 1 and 2 modify their optoelectronic properties. Crystal structure analysis reveals that 1, with a small π-surface, forms a double columnar array of fullerenes in the solid state. In contrast, 2 with a large π-surface produces a supramolecular capsule entrapping two discrete fullerenes. The intermolecular interactions between B, N, S, and the aryl-π surface of the host and C60 guest are the stabilizing factors for creating these supramolecular structures. Comprehensive computational, optical, and Raman spectroscopic studies establish the charge transfer interactions between B-N doped heterocycle host and fullerene C60 guest.

Increasing the Magnetic Blocking Temperature of Single-Molecule Magnets

The synthesis of single-molecule magnets (SMMs), magnetic complexes capable of retaining magnetization blocking for a long time at elevated temperatures, has been a major concern for magnetochemists over the last three decades. In this review, we describe basic SMMs and the different approaches that allow high magnetization-blocking temperatures to be reached. We focus on the basic factors affecting magnetization blocking, magnetic axiality and the height of the blocking barrier, which can be used to group different families of complexes in terms of their SMM efficiency. Finally, we discuss several practical routes for the design of mono- and polynuclear complexes that could be applied in memory devices.

Evidence for Band Renormalizations in Strong-Coupling Superconducting Alkali-Fulleride Films

There has been a long-standing debate about the mechanism of the unusual superconductivity in alkali-intercalated fullerides. In this Letter, using high-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, we systematically investigate the electronic structures of superconducting K_{3}C_{60} thin films. We observe a dispersive energy band crossing the Fermi level with the occupied bandwidth of about 130 meV. The measured band structure shows prominent quasiparticle kinks and a replica band involving the Jahn-Teller active phonon modes, which reflects strong electron-phonon coupling in the system. The electron-phonon coupling constant is estimated to be about 1.2, which dominates the quasiparticle mass renormalization. Moreover, we observe an isotropic nodeless superconducting gap beyond the mean-field estimation (2Δ/k_{B}T_{c}≈5). Both the large electron-phonon coupling constant and large reduced superconducting gap suggest a strong-coupling superconductivity in K_{3}C_{60}, while the electronic correlation effect is suggested by the observation of a waterfall-like band dispersion and the small bandwidth compared with the effective Coulomb interaction. Our results not only directly visualize the crucial band structure but also provide important insights into the mechanism of the unusual superconductivity of fulleride compounds.

Functional Carbazole-Fullerene Complexes: A New Perspective of Carbazoles Acting as Nano-Octopus to Capture Globular Fullerenes

Fullerene host-guest constructs have attracted increasing attention owing to their molecular-level hybrid arrangements. However, the usage of simple carbazolic derivatives to bind with fullerenes is rare. In this research, three novel carbazolic derivatives, containing a tunable bridging linker and carbazole units for the capturing of fullerenes, are rationally designed. Unlike the general concave-convex interactions, fullerenes could interact with the planar carbazole subunits to form 2-dimensional hexagonal/quadrilateral cocrystals with alternating stacking patterns of 1 : 1 or 1 : 2 stoichiometry, as well as the controllable fullerene packing modes. At the meanwhile, good electron-transporting performances and significant photovoltaic effects were realized when a continuous C_60⋅⋅⋅ C₆₀ interaction channel existed. The results indicate that the introduction of such carbazolic system into fullerene receptor would provide new insights into novel fullerene host-guest architectures for versatile applications.

Caged-electron states and split-electron states in the endohedral alkali C60

The low-lying electronic states of neutral X@C60 (X = Li, Na, K, Rb) have been computed and analyzed by employing state-of-the-art high level many-electron methods. Apart from the common charge-separated states, well known to be present in endohedral fullerenes, one non-charge-separated state has been found in each of the investigated systems. In Li@C60 and Na@C60, the non-charge-separated state is a caged-electron state already discussed before for Li@C60. This indicates that the application of this low-lying state of Li@C60 discussed before is also applicable for Na@C60. In K@C60 and Rb@C60, the electronic radial distribution analysis shows that this hitherto unknown non-charge-separated state possesses a different nature from that of a caged-electron state.

Glassy Porphyrin/C60 Composites: Morphological Engineering of C60 Fullerene with Liquefied Porphyrins

Morphological control of C₆₀ fullerene using liquefied porphyrins (1 and 2) as the host matrices was explored. Slow evaporation of the solvent of the equimolar mixture of porphyrin and C₆₀ in toluene afforded the porphyrin/C₆₀ composite with a 3:1 molar ratio. The stoichiometric binding behaviors suggest that specific porphyrin-C₆₀ interactions operate the formation of the porphyrin/C₆₀ composites, as corroborated by spectroscopic and thermal properties, and glazing-incidence wide-angle X-ray diffraction. Under the bulk conditions, the conventional thermodynamic advantage of multiple binding cooperativity for molecular recognition is unlikely to explain the stoichiometric binding behaviors. Instead, we propose a size-matching effect on the porphyrin-C₆₀ interaction in the bulk porphyrin matrices, i.e., "supramolecular solvation". The glassy nature of the porphyrin matrices was transmitted to C₆₀ through the specific interaction, and the porphyrin/C₆₀ composites adopted glassy states at room temperature.

Why have band theorists been so successful in explaining and predicting novel superconductors?

In this contribution to the J. Phys.: Condens. Matter memorial issue in honor of Sandro Massidda I reflect on a phenomenon Sandro had been a part of. While theoretical condensed matter physicists have made, over the years, exciting and most elegant contributions to the theory of superconductivity (which, in and by itself, is one of the most beautiful constructs in theoretical physics), some of them of utmost importance, they have had less success in predicting and explaining superconducting states and mechanisms in specific materials. More down-to-earth computational materials scientists, who often go by the moniker 'band theorists', have been much more successful in applying (usually other people's) ideas in such circumstances. In this essay I give some examples, largely drawn from my own experience, and speculate on their meaning.

Ab Initio Investigation of Nonlinear Mode Coupling in C60

Strong light fields may be used to control molecular structure, thus providing a route to new, light-induced phases of matter. In this context, we present an ab initio molecular dynamics investigation of nonlinear mode coupling in C₆₀ and show that, under suitable conditions, resonant infrared excitation induces significant structural changes in the system. Surprisingly, exciting the highest-frequency infrared mode at field strengths employed in a recent experiment [Nature 2016, 530, 461-464], we observe no significant structural change. However, when targeting the first two infrared modes using stronger fields, all Raman modes gain energy through nonlinear coupling to the infrared modes, leading to large-amplitude vibrational excitations. We find a strong response of the H_g(5) mode, which is symmetric with respect to the equilibrium structure. For sufficiently strong field, it is of the same order as the infrared modes' excitation. This encourages further investigations into the light-induced superconducting properties of alkali-doped fullerenes.

Nonempirical Calculation of Superconducting Transition Temperatures in Light-Element Superconductors

Recent progress in the fully nonempirical calculation of the superconducting transition temperature (T_c ) is reviewed. Especially, this study focuses on three representative light-element high-T_c superconductors, i.e., elemental Li, sulfur hydrides, and alkali-doped fullerides. Here, it is discussed how crucial it is to develop the beyond Migdal-Eliashberg (ME) methods. For Li, a scheme of superconducting density functional theory for the plasmon mechanism is formulated and it is found that T_c is dramatically enhanced by considering the frequency dependence of the screened Coulomb interaction. For sulfur hydrides, it is essential to go beyond not only the static approximation for the screened Coulomb interaction, but also the constant density-of-states approximation for electrons, the harmonic approximation for phonons, and the Migdal approximation for the electron-phonon vertex, all of which have been employed in the standard ME calculation. It is also shown that the feedback effect in the self-consistent calculation of the self-energy and the zero point motion considerably affect the calculation of T_c . For alkali-doped fullerides, the interplay between electron-phonon coupling and electron correlations becomes more nontrivial. It has been demonstrated that the combination of density functional theory and dynamical mean field theory with the ab initio downfolding scheme for electron-phonon coupled systems works successfully. This study not only reproduces the experimental phase diagram but also obtains a unified view of the high-T_c superconductivity and the Mott-Hubbard transition in the fullerides. The results for these high-T_c superconductors will provide a firm ground for future materials design of new superconductors.

Spontaneous Orbital-Selective Mott Transitions and the Jahn-Teller Metal of A_{3}C_{60}

The alkali-doped fullerides A_{3}C_{60} are half-filled three-orbital Hubbard systems which exhibit an unconventional superconducting phase next to a Mott insulator. While the pairing is understood to arise from an effectively negative Hund coupling, the highly unusual Jahn-Teller metal near the Mott transition, featuring both localized and itinerant electrons, has not been understood. This property is consistently explained by a previously unrecognized phenomenon: the spontaneous transition of multiorbital systems with negative Hund coupling into an orbital-selective Mott state. This symmetry-broken state, which has no ordinary orbital moment, is characterized by an orbital-dependent two-body operator (the double occupancy) or an orbital-dependent kinetic energy and may be regarded as a diagonal-order version of odd-frequency superconductivity. We propose that the recently discovered Jahn-Teller metal phase of Rb_{x}Cs_{3-x}C_{60} is an experimental realization of this novel state of matter.

Exotic s-wave superconductivity in alkali-doped fullerides

Alkali-doped fullerides (A3C60 with A = K, Rb, Cs) show a surprising phase diagram, in which a high transition-temperature (Tc) s-wave superconducting state emerges next to a Mott insulating phase as a function of the lattice spacing. This is in contrast with the common belief that Mott physics and phonon-driven s-wave superconductivity are incompatible, raising a fundamental question on the mechanism of the high-Tc superconductivity. This article reviews recent ab initio calculations, which have succeeded in reproducing comprehensively the experimental phase diagram with high accuracy and elucidated an unusual cooperation between the electron-phonon coupling and the electron-electron interactions leading to Mott localization to realize an unconventional s-wave superconductivity in the alkali-doped fullerides. A driving force behind the exotic physics is unusual intramolecular interactions, characterized by the coexistence of a strongly repulsive Coulomb interaction and a small effectively negative exchange interaction. This is realized by a subtle energy balance between the coupling with the Jahn-Teller phonons and Hund's coupling within the C60 molecule. The unusual form of the interaction leads to a formation of pairs of up- and down-spin electrons on the molecules, which enables the s-wave pairing. The emergent superconductivity crucially relies on the presence of the Jahn-Teller phonons, but surprisingly benefits from the strong correlations because the correlations suppress the kinetic energy of the electrons and help the formation of the electron pairs, in agreement with previous model calculations. This confirms that the alkali-doped fullerides are a new type of unconventional superconductors, where the unusual synergy between the phonons and Coulomb interactions drives the high-Tc superconductivity.

Possible light-induced superconductivity in K3C60 at high temperature

The non-equilibrium control of emergent phenomena in solids is an important research frontier, encompassing effects like the optical enhancement of superconductivity ¹ . Recently, nonlinear excitation ^{2 , 3} of certain phonons in bilayer cuprates was shown to induce superconducting-like optical properties at temperatures far above T_c^4,5,6. This effect was accompanied by the disruption of competing charge-density-wave correlations^7,8, which explained some but not all of the experimental results. Here, we report a similar phenomenon in a very different compound. By exciting metallic K₃C₆₀ with mid-infrared optical pulses, we induce a large increase in carrier mobility, accompanied by the opening of a gap in the optical conductivity. Strikingly, these same signatures are observed at equilibrium when cooling metallic K₃C₆₀ below the superconducting transition temperature (T_c = 20 K). Although optical techniques alone cannot unequivocally identify non-equilibrium high-temperature superconductivity, we propose this scenario as a possible explanation of our results.

Unified understanding of superconductivity and Mott transition in alkali-doped fullerides from first principles

Alkali-doped fullerides A 3C60 (A = K, Rb, Cs) are surprising materials where conventional phonon-mediated superconductivity and unconventional Mott physics meet, leading to a remarkable phase diagram as a function of volume per C60 molecule. We address these materials with a state-of-the-art calculation, where we construct a realistic low-energy model from first principles without using a priori information other than the crystal structure and solve it with an accurate many-body theory. Remarkably, our scheme comprehensively reproduces the experimental phase diagram including the low-spin Mott-insulating phase next to the superconducting phase. More remarkably, the critical temperatures T c's calculated from first principles quantitatively reproduce the experimental values. The driving force behind the surprising phase diagram of A 3C60 is a subtle competition between Hund's coupling and Jahn-Teller phonons, which leads to an effectively inverted Hund's coupling. Our results establish that the fullerides are the first members of a novel class of molecular superconductors in which the multiorbital electronic correlations and phonons cooperate to reach high T c s-wave superconductivity.

Voltage tuning of vibrational mode energies in single-molecule junctions

Vibrational modes of molecules are fundamental properties determined by intramolecular bonding, atomic masses, and molecular geometry, and often serve as important channels for dissipation in nanoscale processes. Although single-molecule junctions have been used to manipulate electronic structure and related functional properties of molecules, electrical control of vibrational mode energies has remained elusive. Here we use simultaneous transport and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy measurements to demonstrate large, reversible, voltage-driven shifts of vibrational mode energies of C60 molecules in gold junctions. C60 mode energies are found to vary approximately quadratically with bias, but in a manner inconsistent with a simple vibrational Stark effect. Our theoretical model instead suggests that the mode shifts are a signature of bias-driven addition of electronic charge to the molecule. These results imply that voltage-controlled tuning of vibrational modes is a general phenomenon at metal-molecule interfaces and is a means of achieving significant shifts in vibrational energies relative to a pure Stark effect.

A first-principles prediction of two-dimensional superconductivity in pristine B₂C single layers

Based on first-principles lattice dynamics and electron-phonon coupling calculations, B(2)C sheets are predicted to be a two-dimensional (2D) phonon-mediated superconductors with a relatively high transition temperature (T(c)). The electron-phonon coupling parameter was calculated to be 0.92 and it is mainly contributed by low frequency out-of-plane phonon modes and electronic states with a π character. When the Coulomb pseudopotential, μ*, is set to 0.10, the estimated temperature, T(c), is 19.2 K. To the best of our knowledge, B(2)C is the first pristine 2D superconductor with a T(c) higher than the boiling point of liquid helium.

Strong intramolecular electron-phonon coupling in the negatively charged aromatic superconductor picene

Superconductivity was recently discovered in solid potassium-intercalated picene (K(3)22ph), in which the picene molecule becomes trianionic (22ph(3-)). In this Letter, we conduct a theory-based study of the superconductivity of 22ph(3-) within the framework of BCS theory. We estimate the density of states N(ε(F)) on the Fermi level to be 2.2 states per (eV molecule spin) by using the theoretical intramolecular electron-phonon coupling l(x) and the experimental superconducting transition temperature T(c) of 18 K. The theoretical value is consistent with the 1.2 states per (eV molecule spin) determined experimentally for K(3)22ph with T(c)=18 K, indicating the validity of our theoretical treatment and the electron-phonon mechanism for superconductivity. The predicted l(x), 0.206 eV, for 22ph(3-) is larger than any value reported for organic superconductors, so picene may have the largest l(x) among the superconductors reported so far.

Raman study of the electron-phonon interaction in light alkali metal intercalated metallic fullerides

By laser-irradiating polymeric Li(4)C(60) and Na(4)C(60), we have obtained pure monomeric metallic phases stable at ambient conditions. Based on a systemic Raman analysis, we have determined the electron-phonon coupling constant for both metallic phases. The e-p coupling constants of Li- and Na-intercalated metallic fullerides are smaller than those of superconductive K(3)C(60) and Rb(3)C(60) and comparable to or slightly higher than that of ambient-pressure non-superconductive Cs(3)C(60). We predict that Na-doped fulleride could exhibit superconductivity with T(c) ∼ 10 K. Much lower T(c) or even no superconductivity can be expected for the Li-doped fulleride which exhibits a strong Li(+)-C interaction. These results contribute to the understanding of superconductivity in light alkali metal intercalated fullerides.

Vibrational dynamics of icosahedrally symmetric biomolecular assemblies compared with predictions based on continuum elasticity

Coarse-grained elastic network models elucidate the fluctuation dynamics of proteins around their native conformations. Low-frequency collective motions derived by simplified normal mode analysis are usually involved in biological function, and these motions often possess noteworthy symmetries related to the overall shape of the molecule. Here, insights into these motions and their frequencies are sought by considering continuum models with appropriate symmetry and boundary conditions to approximately represent the true atomistic molecular structure. We solve the elastic wave equations analytically for the case of spherical symmetry, yielding a symmetry-based classification of molecular motions together with explicit predictions for their vibrational frequencies. We address the case of icosahedral symmetry as a perturbation to the spherical case. Applications to lumazine synthase, satellite tobacco mosaic virus, and brome mosaic virus show that the spherical elastic model efficiently provides insights on collective motions that are otherwise obtained by detailed elastic network models. A major utility of the continuum models is the possibility of estimating macroscopic material properties such as the Young's modulus or Poisson's ratio for different types of viruses.

Superconducting group-IV semiconductors

Despite the amount of experimental and theoretical work on doping-induced superconductivity in covalent semiconductors based on group IV elements over the past four years, many open questions and puzzling results remain to be clarified. The nature of the coupling (whether mediated by electronic correlation, phonons or both), the relationship between the doping concentration and the critical temperature (T(c)), which affects the prospects for higher transition temperatures, and the influence of disorder and dopant homogeneity are debated issues that will determine the future of the field. Here, we present recent achievements and predictions, with a focus on boron-doped diamond and silicon. We also suggest that innovative superconducting devices, combining specific properties of diamond or silicon with the maturity of semiconductor-based technologies, will soon be developed.

Diamagnetic currents in the neutral He atoms

The mechanism of the occurrence of intraatomic diamagnetic currents in the neutral He atoms with microscopic sizes is investigated. It is found that most of all electrons can form electron pairs originating from attractive Coulomb interactions between two electrons with opposite spins occupying the 1s atomic orbital in the neutral He atom at 298 K. Intraatomic diamagnetic currents in the neutral He atoms with microscopic sizes can be explained by such electron pairing. The transition temperature Tc(He),(1s) value at which intraatomic diamagnetic currents can disappear in each He atom is estimated. The Tc(He),(1s) values for the neutral He atoms with microscopic sizes are estimated to be much larger than the superconducting transition temperatures Tc,BCS values for the conventional superconductors with macroscopic sizes. This result can be understood from continuous energy levels of electronic states in conventional superconductivity with macroscopic sizes, and from discrete energy levels of electronic states in the neutral He atoms with microscopic sizes. The energy difference between the occupied and unoccupied orbitals decreases with an increase in material size and thus the second-order perturbation effect becomes more important with an increase in material size. Therefore, the mechanism of the occurrence of intraatomic diamagnetic current in the neutral He atoms suggested in this research would not be true for materials with large sizes. The dependence of electronic properties on temperature in the diamagnetic currents in the neutral He atoms with microscopic sizes is studied and compared with that in the conventional superconductivity with macroscopic sizes.

Vibrational cooling in a cold ion trap: vibrationally resolved photoelectron spectroscopy of cold C60(-) anions

We demonstrate vibrational cooling of anions via collisions with a background gas in an ion trap attached to a cryogenically controlled cold head (10-400 K). Photoelectron spectra of vibrationally cold C60(-) anions, produced by electrospray ionization and cooled in the cold ion trap, have been obtained. Relative to spectra taken at room temperature, vibrational hot bands are completely eliminated, yielding well-resolved vibrational structures and a more accurate electron affinity for neutral C60. The electron affinity of C60 is measured to be 2.683+/-0.008 eV. The cold spectra reveal complicated vibrational structures for the transition to the C60 ground state due to the Jahn-Teller effect in the ground state of C60(-). Vibrational excitations in the two A(g) modes and eight H(g) modes are observed, providing ideal data to assess the vibronic couplings in C60(-).

Electron−Phonon Interactions and Intra- and Intermolecular Charge Mobility in the Monocations of Annulenes

Possible electron pairing in pi-conjugated positively charged annulenes such as (CH)(18) (18an) and (CH)(30) (30an) is studied and compared with that in the positively charged acenes. The total electron-phonon coupling constants in the monocations (l(HOMO)) for 18an and 30an are estimated. The E(2g) modes of 1611 and 1201 cm(-1) most strongly couple to the highest occupied molecular orbitals (HOMO) in 18an and 30an, respectively. The l(HOMO) values for annulenes are larger than those for acenes. The phase pattern difference between the HOMO of acenes localized on the edge part of carbon atoms and the delocalized HOMO of annulenes is the main reason for the calculated results. In view of the calculated results of the l(HOMO) values, intramolecular electron mobility (sigma(intra,HOMO)), and the reorganization energies (RE(HOMO)) in the positively charged molecules, the monocations of annulenes cannot easily become good conductors compared with the monocations of acenes, but the condition of the attractive electron-electron interactions is realized more easily in the monocations of annulenes than in the monocations of acenes. The hypothetical intramolecular supercurrent originating from both intramolecular and intermolecular vibrations in the monocations of annulenes and acenes in a case where the distance between two adjacent molecules is too large for the molecular crystal to become normal metallic state, is also discussed.

Electron-phonon interactions in the monocations of polyacetylenes

Electron-phonon interactions in the monocations of trans-polyacetylenes such as C2H4 (2tpa), C4H6 (2tpa), C6H8 (6tpa), and C8H10 (8tpa) are studied. The C-C stretching Ag modes around 1700 cm(-1) afford the largest electron-phonon coupling constants in the monocations of polyacetylenes. However, the C-C bending Ag modes around 1200 cm(-1) afford much smaller electron-phonon coupling constants than the C-C stretching Ag modes around 1700 cm(-1) in the monocations of polyacetylenes. The total electron-phonon coupling constants for the monocations (l HOMO) are estimated to be 0.357, 0.285, 0.281, and 0.279 eV for 2tpa, 4tpa, 6tpa, and 8tpa, respectively. The l HOMO values for polyacetylenes with C 2h geometry hardly change with an increase in molecular size while those for polyacenes with D 2h geometry significantly decrease with an increase in molecular size. The l HOMO values for polyacetylenes are larger than those for polyacenes. The calculated results are rationalized in terms of the phase patterns of the molecular orbitals in detail. The electron transfer in the positively charged polyacetylenes is also discussed. Intramolecular electron mobility (sigma(intra,monocation)) in the positively charged polyacetylenes is estimated to be smaller than those for the positively charged polyacenes. The reorganization energies for the positively charged polyacetylenes are estimated to be larger than those for the positively charged polyacenes. Thus, the larger overlap integrals between two neighboring molecules are needed for the positively charged polyacetylenes to become good conductor than those for positively charged polyacenes. On the other hand, the conditions under which the electron-electron interactions are attractive are more easily realized in the monocations of polyacetylenes than in the monocations of polyacenes. The quality as conducting materials would not significantly depend on the molecular size in the positively charged polyacetylenes, compared with that in the positively charged polyacenes. Multimode problem is also treated in order to investigate how consideration of multimode problem is closely related to the characteristics of the electron-phonon interactions.

Electron−Phonon Interactions and Jahn−Teller Effects in the Monocation of Corannulene

Electron-phonon interactions in the monocation of corannulene are studied by using the hybrid Hartree-Fock (HF)/density-functional-theory (DFT) method in the Gaussian 98 program package. The C-C stretching mode of 1498 cm(-1) most strongly couples to the e1 highest occupied molecular orbitals (HOMO) in corannulene. The total electron-phonon coupling constant for the monocation (l(HOMO)) of corannulene is estimated to be 0.165 eV. The l(HOMO) value for corannulene is much larger than those for coronene and acenes with similar numbers of carbon atoms. The delocalized electronic structures and the intermediate characteristics between the strong sigma-orbital interactions and weak pi-orbital interactions originating from a bowl-shaped C(5v) geometry are the main reason that the l(HOMO) value for corannulene is much larger than those for planar D(6h) symmetric pi-conjugated coronene and D(2h) symmetric pi-conjugated acenes with similar numbers of carbon atoms. The electron transfer in the positively charged corannulene is also discussed. Intramolecular electron mobility (sigma(intra,monocation)) in the positively charged corannulene is estimated to be smaller than those for the positively charged pi-conjugated acenes and coronene. The reorganization energy for the positively charged corannulene (0.060 eV) is estimated to be larger than those for the positively charged acenes and coronene. The strong orbital interactions between two neighboring carbon atoms in the HOMO of corannulene with the bowl-shaped structure are the main reasons for the calculated results. Thus, the larger overlap integral between two neighboring molecules is needed for the positively charged corannulene to become a better conductor than those for positively charged coronene and acenes. The smaller density of states at the Fermi level n(0) values are enough for the conditions of the attractive electron-electron interactions to be realized in the monocation of corannulene than in the monocations of coronene and acenes with similar numbers of carbon atoms. The multimode problem is also treated in order to investigate how consideration of the multimode problem is closely related to the characteristics of the electron-phonon interactions.

Vibronic interactions and possible electron pairing in positively charged cyanodienes

The conditions under which the attractive electron-electron interactions are realized in the monocations of sigma-conjugated cyanodienes such as C(6)N(4)H(4), C(8)N(6)H(4), and C(10)N(8)H(4) and of pi-conjugated acenes are discussed. The total electron-phonon coupling constants for the monocations l(HOMO) of cyanodienes are much larger than those for the monocations of acenes. The strong sigma orbital interactions between two neighboring atoms in the highest occupied molecular orbitals (HOMO) of sigma-conjugated cyanodienes are the main reason for the calculated results. Furthermore, we discuss how the conditions under which the monocation crystals become good conductor are related to the molecular size. Both the l(HOMO) values and the reorganization energies between the neutral molecules and the monocations decrease with an increase in molecular size in cyanodienes. The calculated results for the sigma-conjugated cyanodienes are compared with those for the pi-conjugated acenes in order to investigate how the CH-N substitutions in cyanodienes are closely related to the l(HOMO) values and the reorganization energies. Both the l(HOMO) and the reorganization energies in the positively charged sigma-conjugated cyanodienes are much larger than those in the positively charged pi-conjugated acenes. This means that in order to become good conductors, the positively charged sigma-conjugated cyanodienes need larger overlap integral between two adjacent molecules than the positively charged pi-conjugated acenes. On the other hand, since the l(HOMO) values for cyanodienes are much larger than those for acenes, the condition of attractive electron-electron interactions is more easily to be realized in the monocations of cyanodienes than in the monocations of acenes. It is suggested that the positively charged sigma-conjugated cyanodienes cannot easily become good conductors, but the conditions under which the electron-electron interactions become attractive are realized more easily in the positively charged sigma-conjugated cyanodienes than in the positively charged pi-conjugated acenes.

Electron-phonon interactions in photoinduced excited electronic states in fluoroacenes

The electron-phonon coupling constants [l(B1u(HOMO-->LUMO))] in the photoinduced excited electronic states in fluoroacenes are estimated and compared with those in the monoanions (l(LUMO)) and cations (l(HOMO)). The l(B1u(HOMO-->LUMO)) values are much larger than the l(LUMO) and l(HOMO) values in fluoroacenes. Furthermore, the Coulomb pseudopotential mu* values for the excited electronic states are estimated to be smaller than those for the monoanions and cations. The complete phase patterns difference between the highest occupied molecular orbitals (HOMOs) and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals (LUMOs) is the main reason why the electron-phonon coupling constants and the mu* values are larger and smaller, respectively, in the photoinduced excited electronic states than in the monoanions and cations. The possible electron pairing and Bose-Einstein condensation in the excited electronic states of fluoroacenes are discussed. Because of larger electron-phonon coupling constants and smaller mu* values in the excited electronic states than in the charged states, the conditions under which the electron-electron interactions become attractive can be more easily realized, in principle, in the excited electronic states than in the charged states in fluoroacenes. The l(B1u(HOMO-->LUMO)) values hardly change by H-F substitution, even though the l(LUMO) and l(HOMO) values significantly increase by H-F substitution in acenes. Antibonding interactions between carbon and fluorine atoms in the HOMO and LUMO are the main reason why the l(B1u(HOMO-->LUMO)) values hardly change by H-F substitution in acenes.

Vibronic Interactions and Possible Electron Pairing in the Photoinduced Excited Electronic States in Molecular Systems: A Theoretical Study

Electron-phonon interactions in the photoinduced excited electronic states in molecular systems such as phenanthrene-edge-type hydrocarbons are discussed and compared with those in the monoanions and cations. The complete phase patterns difference between the highest occupied molecular orbitals (HOMO) and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals (LUMO) (the atomic orbitals between two neighboring carbon atoms combined in phase (out of phase) in the HOMO are combined out of phase (in phase) in the LUMO) are the main reason that the C-C stretching modes around 1500 cm(-1) afford much larger electron-phonon coupling constants in the excited electronic states than in the charged electronic states. The frequencies of the vibrational modes that play an essential role in the electron-phonon interactions for the excited electronic states are similar to those for the monoanions and cations in phenanthrene-edge-type hydrocarbons. Possible electron pairing and Bose-Einstein condensation in the photoinduced excited electronic states as well as those in the monoanions and cations in molecular systems such as phenanthrene-edge-type hydrocarbons are also discussed.

Vibronic Interactions in Negatively Charged Polyacetylene

Electron-phonon interactions in the monoanions of polyacetylenes such as C2H4 (2tpa), C4H6 (4tpa), C6H8 (6tpa), and C8H10 (8tpa) are studied and compared with those in the monoanions of polyacenes. The C-C stretching A(g) modes around 1500 cm(-1) the most strongly couple to the lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals (LUMO) in polyacetylenes. The estimated total electron-phonon coupling constants for the monoanions (l(LUMO)) are 0.579, 0.555, 0.463, and 0.401 eV for 2tpa, 4tpa, 6tpa, and 8tpa, respectively. The l(LUMO) values for polyacetylenes are much larger than those for polyacenes. Furthermore, the l(LUMO) value for polyacetylene with C(2h) geometry is estimated to be 0.254 eV, and is larger than that (0.024 eV) for polyacene with D(2h) geometry. The phase patterns difference between the LUMO of polyacenes localized on the edge part of carbon atoms, and the delocalized LUMO of polyacetylenes is the main reason for the calculated results. The single charge transfer through the molecule in polyacetylenes are also discussed. The reorganization energies between the neutral molecule and the corresponding monoanion are estimated to be 0.164, 0.144, 0.125, and 0.113 eV for 2tpa, 4tpa, 6tpa, and 8tpa, respectively. Such reorganization energy decreases with an increase in molecular size. The conditions under which the attractive electron-electron interactions are realized in the monoanions of polyacetylenes and polyacenes are discussed. In terms of the electron-phonon interactions and the reorganization energies, the relationships between the normal and possible superconducting states are briefly discussed. We find that the monoanions with smaller molecular size cannot easily become good conductors, however, the conditions under which the interactions between two electrons are attractive are more easily realized in the monoanions with smaller molecular size than in the monoanions with larger molecular size.