Trends in the infrared and near infrared properties of organic conductors

Quasiparticles at the verge of localization near the Mott metal-insulator transition in a two-dimensional material

The dynamics of charge carriers close to the Mott transition is explored theoretically and experimentally in the quasi-two-dimensional organic charge-transfer salt, kappa-(BEDT-TTF)_(2)Cu[N(CN)_(2)]Br_(x)Cl_(1-x), with varying Br content. The frequency dependence of the conductivity deviates significantly from simple Drude model behavior: there is a strong redistribution of spectral weight as the Mott transition is approached and with temperature. The effective mass of the quasiparticles increases considerably when coming close to the insulating phase. A dynamical mean-field-theory treatment of the relevant Hubbard model gives good quantitative description of experimental data.

New tetrathiapentalene-derived charge transfer salts with paramagnetic transition metal complex anion: kappa-(EDDH-TTP)(3)[Cr(phen)(NCS)(4)] x 2CH(2)Cl(2) and kappa(21)-(BDH-TTP)(5)[Cr(phen)(NCS)(4)](2) x 2CH(2)Cl(2)

The preparation, crystal structures, and optical and magnetic properties of two new charge-transfer salts kappa-(EDDH-TTP)(3)[Cr(phen)(NCS)(4)] x 2CH(2)Cl(2) (1) and kappa(21)-(BDH-TTP)(5)[Cr(phen)(NCS)(4)](2) x 2CH(2)Cl(2) (2), where phen = 1,10- phenanthroline, EDDH-TTP = 2-(4,5-ethylenedithio-1,3-dithiol-2-ylidene)-5-(1,3-dithiolan-2-ylidene)-1,3,4,6-tetrathiapentalene, and BDH-TTP = 2,5-bis(1,3-dithiolan-2-ylidene)-1,3,4,6-tetrathiapentalene, are reported. Crystal data: (1) monoclinic P2(1)/a, a = 25.0752(5) A, b = 10.6732(3) A, c = 28.1601(6) A, beta = 95.195(2) degrees, Z = 4, R = 0.0585 for 6741 independent reflections with I > 3 sigma(I); (2) monoclinic P2(1)/a, a = 23.8275(4) A, b = 9.1015 (2) A, c = 27.0420(1) A, beta = 99.9297(8) degrees, Z = 4, R = 0.0530 for 4565 independent reflections with I > 2 sigma(I). The crystal structures for both compounds consist of alternating organic and inorganic layers. The organic layer in compound 1 is characterized as kappa-type, while the organic layer in 2 resembles the kappa-type but it contains orthogonal dimers and monomers, and it is therefore called kappa(21). Compound 1 shows metallic behavior down to low temperature. Salt 2 shows semiconductive behavior, which is explained as the result of either charge ordering owing to the kappa(21)-type structure or Peierls distortion due to the one-dimensional electronic nature. However, weak metallic behavior could be observed at 10 kbar above ca. 150 K and at 15 kbar above 170 K. The magnetic susceptibilities for both compounds show Curie-Weiss behavior, showing that the exchange interactions between the magnetic anions are weak. Polarized reflectance spectra of single crystals were measured over the spectral range from 650 to 7000 cm(-1). Moreover, absorption and diffusion reflectance spectra of powdered crystals dispersed in KBr (from 400 to 7000 cm(-1)) were recorded. Vibrational and electronic features are discussed.