Persistence to high temperatures of interlayer coherence in an organic superconductor.

Phys Rev Lett 99:2 (2007) 027004

Authors:

John Singleton, PA Goddard, A Ardavan, AI Coldea, SJ Blundell, RD McDonald, S Tozer, JA Schlueter

Abstract:

The interlayer magnetoresistance rho(zz) of the organic metal kappa-(BEDT-TTF)(2)Cu(NCS)(2) is studied in fields of up to 45 T and at temperatures T from 0.5 to 30 K. The peak in rho(zz) seen in in-plane fields, a definitive signature of interlayer coherence, remains to Ts exceeding the Anderson criterion for incoherent transport by a factor approximately 30. Angle-dependent magnetoresistance oscillations are modeled using an approach based on field-induced quasiparticle paths on a 3D Fermi surface, to yield the T dependence of the scattering rate tau(-1). The results suggest that tau(-1) does not vary strongly over the Fermi surface, and that it has a T(2) dependence due to electron-electron scattering.

Toward controlled spacing in one-dimensional molecular chains: alkyl-chain-functionalized fullerenes in carbon nanotubes.

J Am Chem Soc 129:27 (2007) 8609-8614

Authors:

Thomas W Chamberlain, Andrew Camenisch, Neil R Champness, G Andrew D Briggs, Simon C Benjamin, Arzhang Ardavan, Andrei N Khlobystov

Abstract:

A range of fullerenes (C60) functionalized with long alkyl chains have been synthesized and inserted into single-walled carbon nanotubes. The impact of the alkyl chain length and of the type of linker between the addend and the fullerene cage on the geometry of molecular arrays in nanotube has been studied by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. In the presence of functional groups the mean interfullerene separations are significantly increased by 2-8 nm depending on the length of the alkyl chain, but the periodicity of the fullerene arrays is disrupted due to the conformational flexibility of the alkyl groups.

Self-assembly of trimetallic nitride template fullerenes on surfaces studied by STM

SURF SCI 601:13 (2007) 2750-2755

Authors:

DF Leigh, C Norenberg, D Cattaneo, JHG Owen, K Porfyrakis, AL Bassi, A Ardavan, GAD Briggs

Abstract:

Trimetallic nitride template fullerenes have been deposited onto a variety of substrates in order to elucidate the substrate-fullerene interactions. We have investigated self-assembled island formation and molecular detail of Er3N@C-80 and SC3N@C-80 on Ag/Si(111), Au(111)/mica, Si(111), and Si(001) using variable temperature scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM). At room temperature, the fullerenes self-assemble into monolayer-high hexagonal close-packed islands on Ag-passivated Si(I 1 1) whereas annealing at elevated temperatures (250-300 degrees C) is necessary for the self-assembly of close-packed islands on An(111). Intra-molecular resolution of the fullerenes has been achieved at liquid nitrogen temperature on Ag/Si(111) and already at room temperature on Si(001), when the rotation of the fullerenes is frozen. Whereas the bonding between the fullerenes and Si surfaces is mainly covalent, it appears to be mainly vander-Waals on the other surfaces. (C) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Self-assembly of trimetallic nitride template fullerenes on surfaces studied by STM

Surface Science 601:13 (2007) 2750-2755

Authors:

DF Leigh, C Nörenberg, D Cattaneo, JHG Owen, K Porfyrakis, A Li Bassi, A Ardavan, GAD Briggs

Abstract:

Trimetallic nitride template fullerenes have been deposited onto a variety of substrates in order to elucidate the substrate-fullerene interactions. We have investigated self-assembled island formation and molecular detail of Er3N@C80 and Sc3N@C80 on Ag/Si(1 1 1), Au(1 1 1)/mica, Si(1 1 1), and Si(0 0 1) using variable temperature scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM). At room temperature, the fullerenes self-assemble into monolayer-high hexagonal close-packed islands on Ag-passivated Si(1 1 1) whereas annealing at elevated temperatures (250-300 °C) is necessary for the self-assembly of close-packed islands on Au(1 1 1). Intra-molecular resolution of the fullerenes has been achieved at liquid nitrogen temperature on Ag/Si(1 1 1) and already at room temperature on Si(0 0 1), when the rotation of the fullerenes is frozen. Whereas the bonding between the fullerenes and Si surfaces is mainly covalent, it appears to be mainly van-der-Waals on the other surfaces. © 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Efficient dynamic nuclear polarization at high magnetic fields.

Phys Rev Lett 98:22 (2007) 220501

Authors:

Gavin W Morley, Johan van Tol, Arzhang Ardavan, Kyriakos Porfyrakis, Jinying Zhang, G Andrew D Briggs

Abstract:

By applying a new technique for dynamic nuclear polarization involving simultaneous excitation of electronic and nuclear transitions, we have enhanced the nuclear polarization of the nitrogen nuclei in 15N@C60 by a factor of 10(3) at a fixed temperature of 3 K and a magnetic field of 8.6 T, more than twice the maximum enhancement reported to date. This methodology will allow the initialization of the nuclear qubit in schemes exploiting N@C60 molecules as components of a quantum information processing device.