Electrostatic screening in fullerene molecules

TL;DR

This paper models the electrostatic screening in fullerene molecules using a continuum approach based on graphite wavefunctions, revealing a non-trivial fixed point and anomalous dielectric behavior.

Contribution

It introduces a continuum model for fullerene screening that predicts non-metallic, non-insulating behavior and matches observed polarizability data.

Findings

Existence of a non-trivial fixed point in the renormalization flow.

Predicted anomalous dielectric constant for fullerenes.

Model accurately reproduces C$_{60}$ polarizability.

Abstract

The screening properties of fullerene molecules are described by means of a continuum model which uses the electronic wavefunctions of planar graphite as a starting point. The long distance behavior of the system gives rise to a renormalizable theory, which flows towards a non trivial fixed point. Its existence implies an anomalous dielectric constant. The screening properties are neither metallic nor insulating. Alternatively, the intramolecular screening is obtained from a simple approximation to the electronic wavefunctions. Intermolecular effects are also calculated. As a consistency check, it is shown that the observed polarizability of C$_{60}$ is well eproduced.