Alkalai-Doped Fullerenes

We are currently investigating various properties of the alkalai-doped C₆₀ compounds, including crystals of the superconducting and polymeric phases. The polymer C₆₀ phase can be formed by doping C₆₀ crystals with one alkalai atom per molecule, to form A₁C₆₀ (where A=K, Rb, Cs). These materials are the only air-stable conducting fullerides known to date. As conducting polymers, they are strong candidtates for quasi-1-dimensional conduction, and exhibit low-temperature phase transitions probably related to reduced dimensionality. We are performing various experiments to elucidate both the room-temperature behavior and the low-temperature phases of these materials. These experiments include: resistivity measurements, at ambient and applied pressure; X-ray diffraction under pressure; Transmission Electron Microscopy; infrared spectroscopy; thermal transport measurements; and measurements of elastic properties. 

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