Organic Superconductors-New Benchmarks

• Published in: Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) Vol. 252; no. 5012; pp. 1501 - 1508
• Main Authors: Williams, Jack M., Schultz, Arthur J., Geiser, Urs, Carlson, K. Douglas, Kini, Aravinda M., Wang, H. Hau, Kwok, Wai-Kwong, Whangbo, Myung-Hwan, Schirber, James E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Society for the Advancement of Science 14.06.1991; American Association for the Advancement of Science; The American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Subjects: Anions; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Crystal lattices; Electrical resistivity; Electrons; Ethylene; Ethylene compounds; Exact sciences and technology; Materials; Molecules; Organic compounds; Organic superconductors; Physics; Salts; Superconducting materials (excluding high-tc compounds); Superconductivity; Superconductors; Band structure; Superconducting materials; Density of states; Isotope effect; Preparation; Organic conductor; Review; Fermi surface; Superconducting transition; Crystalline structure
• ISSN: 0036-8075; 1095-9203
• DOI: 10.1126/science.252.5012.1501

Recent advances in the design and synthesis of organic synthetic metals have yielded materials that have the highest superconducting transition temperatures (T$_c \approx$ 13 kelvin) reported for these systems. These materials have crystal structures consisting of alternating layers of organic donor molecules and inorganic anions. Organic superconductors have various electronic and magnetic properties and crystal structures that are similar to those of the inorganic copper oxide superconductors (which have high T$_c$ values); these similarities include highly anisotropic conductivities, critical fields, and short coherence lengths. The largest number of organic superconductors, including those with the highest T$_c$ values, are charge-transfer salts derived from the electron donor molecule BEDT-TTF or ET [bis(ethylenedithio)-tetrathiafulvalene]. The synthesis and crystal structures of these salts are discussed; their electrical, magnetic, and band electronic structure properties and their many similarities to the copper oxide superconductors are treated as well.