Coexistence of superconductivity and spin density wave orderings in the organic superconductor (TMTSF) 2 PF 6

The phase diagram of the organic superconductor (TMTSF)₂PF₆has been revisited using transport measurements with an improved control of the applied pressure. We have found a 0.8 kbar wide pressure domain below the critical point (9.43 kbar, 1.2 K) for the stabilisation of the superconducting ground state featuring a coexistence regime between spin density wave (SDW) and superconductivity (SC). The inhomogeneous character of the said pressure domain is supported by the analysis of the resistivity between T _SDW and T _SC and the superconducting critical current. The onset temperature T _SC is practically constant ( 1.20±0.01 K) in this region where only the SC/SDW domain proportion below T _SC is increasing under pressure. An homogeneous superconducting state is recovered above the critical pressure with T _SC falling at increasing pressure. We propose a model comparing the free energy of a phase exhibiting a segregation between SDW and SC domains and the free energy of homogeneous phases which explains fairly well our experimental findings. Received 3 September 2001 and Received in final form 9 November 2001     

Microwave transport approach to the coherence of interchain hopping in (TMTSF)2PF6

We report a microwave study of the longitudinal and transverse transport properties of the quasi-one-dimensional organic conductor (TMTSF)₂PF₆ in its normal phase. The contactless technique have provided a direct measurement of the temperature profile of the resistivity along the b' direction and in magnetic fields up to 14 T. A characteristic energy scale ( K) has been observed which delimits a transient regime from an insulating to a metallic behavior. This anomalous profile is discussed in terms of the onset of coherent transport properties along the b' direction below 40 K. This is also supported by the observation of a finite longitudinal and transverse magnetoresistances only below 40 K, indicative of a two-dimensional regime. Below T_x, however, strong deviations with respect to a Fermi liquid behavior are evidenced. Received 27 January 1999     

77Se NMR probe of magnetic excitations of the magic angle effect in (TMTSF)2PF6

We report 77Se spin-lattice relaxation rates for (TMTSF)2PF6, carried out in the regime where a set of spectacular transport anomalies known as the "magic angle effects" are observed. In situ resistance measurements (R(zz)) were used to verify the experimental conditions and give precise sample alignment information. We found that the 77Se T-11 exhibits no significant changes as the magnetic-field orientation is rotated through the magic angles, and conclude that there is no evidence for either a single-particle gap or a spin gap. The clearly observed field-induced spin-density wave transition temperature is also, unexpectedly, not enhanced at the magic angles.     

Low-frequency dielectric response in the quasi-one-dimensional organic conductor (TMTSF)2PF6

A unique and rare opportunity of revealing the nature of the spin-density-wave (SDW) fluctuation in the quasi-one-dimensional organic conductor (TMTSF)₂PF₆ has been provided by our AC impedance measurements above the SDW transition temperature. A close resemblance of the low-frequency dielectric response in the range between 20 K and the temperature of maximum resistivity T_max ∼ 80 K to that in the SDW ground state was revealed, with quite compatible exponents for their power law dependencies. The SDW fluctuation has thus been identified in the 2D Fermi liquid regime, which can be regarded as a precursor phase of the SDW ground state.     

Hall effect and conduction anisotropy in the organic conductor (TMTSF)2PF6

Both the Hall effect and the ab(')-plane conduction anisotropy are directly addressing the unconventional normal phase properties of the Bechgaard salt (TMTSF)2PF6. We found that the dramatic reduction of the carrier density deduced from recent optical data is not reflected in an enhanced Hall resistance. The pressure and temperature dependence of the b(')-direction resistivity reveal isotropic relaxation time and do not require explanations beyond the Fermi liquid theory. Our results allow a coherent-diffusive transition in the interchain carrier propagation, however the possible crossover to Luttinger liquid behavior is placed at an energy scale above room temperature.     

Giant Nernst effect and lock-in currents at magic angles in (TMTSF)2PF6

We have measured the thermoelectric signal along the a axis in (TMTSF)2PF6 at 10 kbar as a function of the orientation of the applied magnetic field. Resonantlike Nernst signals were found with a dramatic sign change as the field was rotated through the "Lebed magic angles." The sign change indicates that the electrical current is "locked in" to the magic angle (interchain) directions for field alignment close to, but on either side of, the magic angles. The amplitude of signals near these angles is many orders of magnitude larger than expected from conventional Boltzmann transport theory.     

Low temperature metallic resistivity of the charge-transfer organic conductor (TMTSF)2PF6

The electrical resistivity arising from electron-electron Umklapp scattering is calculated at low temperatures for the anisotropic but two-dimensional charge-transfer complex (TMTSF)₂PF₆. Also, we consider a specular scattering correction to a recent one-phonon scattering mechanism and find a significant change in the temperature dependent behavior of the resistivity. Finally an exact solution is obtained for the resistivity arising from two-libron scattering and is found to give a small contribution at low temperatures. Comparing these results with recent data, we find that the electron-electron mechanism yields the most satisfactory agreement at low temperatures, while contributions from the other two mechanisms may not be negligible at high temperatures.