Extremely large magnetoresistance in the nonmagnetic metal PdCoO2.

Extremely large magnetoresistance is realized in the nonmagnetic layered metal PdCoO(2). In spite of a highly conducting metallic behavior with a simple quasi-two-dimensional hexagonal Fermi surface, the interlayer resistance reaches up to 35,000% for the field along the [11[over ¯]0] direction. Furthermore, the temperature dependence of the resistance becomes nonmetallic for this field direction, while it remains metallic for fields along the [110] direction. Such severe and anisotropic destruction of the interlayer coherence by a magnetic field on a simple Fermi surface is ascribable to orbital motion of carriers on the Fermi surface driven by the Lorentz force, but seems to have been largely overlooked until now.

Uniaxial strain orientation dependence of superconducting transition temperature (Tc) and critical superconducting pressure (Pc) in ß-(BDA-TTP)2I3.

Dependence of the superconducting transition temperature (T(c)) and critial superconducting pressure (P(c)) of the pressure-induced superconductor ß-(BDA-TTP)(2)I(3) [BDA-TTP = 2,5-bis(1,3-dithian-2-ylidene)-1,3,4,6-tetrathiapentalene] on the orientation of uniaxial strain has been investigated. On the basis of the overlap between the upper and lower bands in the energy dispersion curve, the pressure orientation is thought to change the half-filled band to the quarter-filled one. The observed variations in T(c) and P(c) are explained by considering the degree of application of the pressure and the degree of contribution of the effective electronic correlation at uniaxial strains with different orientations parallel to the conducting donor layer.

New aspects of π-d interactions in magnetic molecular conductors.

The 2 : 1 cation radical salts of bent donor molecules of ethylenedithio-tetrathiafulvalenoquinone-1,3-dithiolemethide (EDT-TTFVO), ethylenedithio-diselenadithiafulvalenoquinone-1,3-dithiolemethide (EDT-DSDTFVO), ethylenedithio-diselenadithiafulvalenothioquinone-1,3-diselenolemethide (EDT-DSDTFVSDS), ethylenedioxy-tetrathiafulvalenoquinone-1,3-dithiolemethide (EDO-TTFVO) and ethylenedioxy-tetrathiafulvalenoquinone-1,3-diselenolemethide (EDO-TTFVODS) with FeX4- (X = Cl, Br) ions are prepared by electrocrystallization. The crystal structures of these salts are composed of alternately stacked donor molecule and magnetic anion layers. The band structures of the donor molecule layers are calculated using the overlap integrals between neighboring donor molecules and are compared with the observed electronic transport properties. The magnetic ordering of the Fe(III) d spins of FeX4- ions is determined from magnetization and heat capacity measurements. The magnetic ordering temperatures are estimated by considering a combination of a direct d-d interaction between the d spins and an indirect π-d interaction between the conduction π electron and the d spins, whose magnitudes are separately calculated from the crystal structures with an extended Hückel molecular orbital method. The occurrence of a π-d interaction is proved by the negative magnetoresistance, and the magnitude of magnetoresistance reflects the strength of the π-d interaction. The effect of pressure on the magnetoresistance is studied, and the result indicates that the magnitude of magnetoresistance increases, namely, the π-d interaction is enhanced with increasing pressure. From these experimental results it is shown that (EDT-TTFVO)2•FeBr4 is a ferromagnetic semiconductor, (EDT-DSDTFVO)2•FeX4 (X = Cl, Br) and (EDT-DSDTFVSDS)2•FeBr4 are metals exhibiting antiferromagnetic ordering of the d spins, and (EDO-TTFVO)2•FeCl4 and (EDO-TTFVODS)2•FeBr4•(DCE)0.5 (DCE =-dichloroethane) are genuine antiferromagnetic metals. Among them, the (EDT-TTFVO)2•FeBr4 salt is the first π-d molecular system where the d spins of FeBr4- ions are ferromagnetically ordered through antiferromagnetic interaction with the conduction π electrons. Corresponding to this ferromagnetic ordering, an anomalous dielectric slow-down phenomenon toward the ordering temperature is observed. The π-d interaction in (EDT-DSDTFVSDS)2•FeBr4 is very large and comparable to that in λ-(BETS)2•FeCl4, which has the highest reported value so far, while the d-d interaction is fairly small. Concerning the ratio between the magnitudes of π-d and d-d interactions (Jπd/Jdd), this salt is currently the best π-d molecular system.

Recent progress in high-pressure studies on organic conductors.

Recent high-pressure studies of organic conductors and superconductors are reviewed. The discovery of the highest Tc superconductivity among organics under high pressure has triggered the further progress of the high-pressure research. Owing to this finding, various organic conductors with the strong electron correlation were investigated under high pressures. This review includes the pressure techniques using the cubic anvil apparatus, as well as high-pressure studies of the organic conductors up to 10 GPa showing extraordinary temperature and pressure dependent transport phenomena.

Pressure transmitting medium Daphne 7474 solidifying at 3.7 GPa at room temperature.

A pressure transmitting medium named Daphne 7474, which solidifies at P(s)=3.7 GPa at room temperature, is presented. The value of P(s) increases almost linearly with temperature up to 6.7 GPa at 100 degrees C. The high pressure realized by a medium at the liquid state allows a higher limit of pressurization, which assures an ideal hydrostatic pressure. We show a volume change against pressure, pressure reduction from room to liquid helium temperature in a clamped piston cylinder cell, pressure distribution and its standard deviation in a diamond anvil cell, and infrared properties, which might be useful for experimental applications.

A metallic (EDT-DSDTFVSDS)2.FeBr4 salt: antiferromagnetic ordering of d spins of FeBr4- ions and anomalous magnetoresistance due to preferential pi-d interaction.

The 2:1 salt of a new donor molecule, EDT-DSDTFVSDS with FeBr4- ion, (EDT-DSDTFVSDS)2.FeBr4 showed an essentially metallic behavior despite a small upturn in the electrical resistance below ca. 30 K (electrical conductivities at 290 and 4.2 K are 200 and 170 S cm-1, respectively). The Fe(III) d spins of the FeBr4- ions in this salt were subject to antiferromagnetic ordering at 3.3 K by virtue of a strong pi-d interaction (Jpid) which is comparable to that in a molecular metallic conductor, lambda-(BETS)2.FeCl4, and of a very weak d-d interaction (Jdd). This strong pi-d interaction was evidenced by a large and negative magnetoresistance effect (ca. 20% at 5 T) as well as by the appearance of a large dip in the resistance at the magnetic field (ca. 2.0 T) parallel to the easy axis for the spin-flop transition of the Fe(III) d spins.

Magnetoresistance effects evidencing the pi-d interaction in metallic organic conductors, (EDT-DSDTFVO)2*MX4 (M = Fe, Ga; X = Cl, Br).

The 2:1 salts of a new donor molecule, EDT-DSDTFVO with MX4- (M = Fe, Ga; X = Cl, Br) ions, were prepared. The crystal structures of the donor molecules had a beta-type packing motif. All the salts essentially exhibited metallic behaviors despite the small upturns in the resistances below 30-70 K. A large negative magnetoresistance (MR) effect [-14.7% (rho(perpendicular)) at 4.0 K and 5 T] was observed in the FeCl4- salt, while a positive MR effect [+4.0% (rho(perpendicular)) at 4.0 K and 5 T] was observed in the GaCl4- salt, suggesting that there is a pi-d interaction in the FeCl4- salt. The pressure application suppressed the resistivity upturns, increased the negative MR effect (-17.7% at 9.5 kbar) in the FeCl4- salt, and decreased the positive MR effect (+3.3% at 15 kbar) in the GaCl4- salt.

Stable metallic behavior and antiferromagnetic ordering of Fe(III) d spins in (EDO-TTFVO)2.FeCl4.

We report the crystal structure and physical properties of the 2:1 FeCl4- salt of a new donor molecule, EDO-TTFVO. Crystal structure analysis of this salt revealed that the donor molecules formed a beta' '-type two-dimensional conducting layer, and there is a short S...Cl contact between the donor molecules and the FeCl4- ions, which is expected to mediate a strong pi-d interaction. This salt showed a stable metallic conducting behavior down to 0.3 K and an antiferromagnetic ordering at TN approximately 3.0 K, indicating that this salt becomes a new antiferromagnetic molecular metal at ambient pressure. The appearance of the magnetic ordering is considered to originate from the strong pi-d interactions between the donor molecules and the FeCl4- ions because the field dependence of magnetoresistances was remarkably affected below the antiferromagnetic transition temperature.

Electrical conducting and magnetic properties of (ethylenedithiotetrathiafulvalenothioquinone-1,3-diselenolemethide)2.FeBr4 (GaBr4) crystals with two different interlayer arrangements of donor molecules.

Two donor molecules newly synthesized, dimethylthio- and ethylenedithio-tetrathiafulvalenothioquinone-1,3-diselenolemethides (1 and 2), were used to prepare their charge-transfer (CT) salts with a magnetic FeBr(4)(-) counteranion. For 1, a low electrical conducting 1:1 salt (1.FeBr(4)) was obtained, in which molecules of 1 are tightly dimerized in a one-dimensional (1D) stacking column. On the other hand, 2 gave a 2:1 salt (2(2).FeBr(4)) as two different kinds of plate crystals (I and II). Both I and II possess similar stacking structures of molecules of 2 in each 1D column with a half-cut pipelike structure along the c axis. However, for I, the stacking columns are aligned in the same direction along the a and b axes, while for II they are in the same direction along the a axis, but in the reverse direction along the b axis, resulting in the difference in the relative arrangement of molecules of 2 and FeBr(4)(-) ions between the two crystals. The room-temperature electrical conductivities of the single crystals of I and II were 13.6 and 12.7 S cm(-)(1), respectively. The electrical conducting behavior in I was metallic above 170 K but changed to be semiconducting with a very small activation energy of 7.0 meV in the temperature range 4-170 K. In contrast, II showed the semiconducting behavior in the whole temperature range 77-285 K. The corresponding nonmagnetic GaBr(4)(-) salts with almost the same crystal structure as I and II showed definitively different electrical conducting properties in the metal to semiconductor transition temperature in I as well as in the magnitude of activation energy in the semiconducting region of I and II. The interaction between the d spins of FeBr(4)(-) ions was weak and antiferromagnetic in both I and II, but the magnitude of the spin interaction was unexpectedly larger compared with that in the FeBr(4)(-) salt of the corresponding sulfur derivative of 2 with closer contact between the neighboring FeBr(4)(-) ions. These electrical conducting and magnetic results suggest a significant interaction between the conducting pi electrons and the d spins of FeBr(4)(-) ions located near the columns or layers.

A new organic superconductor, (DODHT)2BF4 x H2O.

In addition to two organic superconductors (DODHT)2X [DODHT = (1,4-dioxane-2,3-diyldithio)dihydrotetrathiafulvalene; X = PF6 and AsF6] previously reported by us, the BF4 salt of DODHT containing one water molecule [(DODHT)2BF4 x H2O] has been found to undergo a superconducting transition at 3.2 K under a hydrostatic pressure of 15.5 kbar.

Metallic conductivity and ferromagnetic interaction of iron(III) d spins in the needle crystals of (ethylenedithiotetrathiafulvalenoquinone-1,3-dithiolemethide)(2).FeBr(4) salt.

The 2:1 charge-transfer (CT) salts (1(2).FeBr(4) and 1(2).GaBr(4)) of ethylenedithiotetrathiafulvalenoquinone-1,3-dithiolemethide (1) with FeBr(4)(-) and GaBr(4)(-) counteranions were obtained as needle crystals, whose structures are almost the same as each other. The 1 molecules form a one dimensionally stacked column with alternation of their molecular axis direction, while the counteranions are aligned in parallel with the 1-stacked columns with the direction of their distorted-tetrahedral geometry maintained. The room-temperature electrical conductivities measured on the single crystals of 1(2).FeBr(4) and 1(2).GaBr(4) were 4.6 and 2.1 S cm(-1), respectively. From the temperature dependences of their electrical conductivities in both cases the electrical conducting properties were metallic between ca. 170 and 300 K, but below ca. 170 K converted to be semiconducting and continued till 5 K, although the activation energies are very small (4-10 meV). For 1(2).FeBr(4) very weak and antiferromagnetic interaction occurred between the d spins of FeBr(4)(-) ions in the temperature range of ca. 1-300 K. However, below ca. 15 K the ferromagnetic interaction was reversely preferential possibly by participation of the pi spin of 1.

New organic superconductors consisting of an unprecedented pi-electron donor.

The synthesis and electrochemical properties of a new organic donor, (1,4-dioxan-2,3-diyldithio)dihydrotetrathiafulvalene (DODHT), and the crystal structures and physical properties of its superconducting salts are described. The DODHT molecule has the bulky dioxane ring condensed by cis fusion, and the reduced pi-electron system of DODHT, as compared with conventional tetrachalcogenafulvalene donors, leads to both the weak electron-donating ability and the large on-site Coulomb energy. Nevertheless, DODHT produces the superconducting AsF6 and PF6 salts, which are isostructural and exhibit superconducting transitions at 3.3 and 3.1 K, respectively, under 16.5 kbar.