Electronic interactions in fullerene molecules

TL;DR

This paper models Coulomb interactions in fullerene molecules using a quantum electrodynamics-like field theory, revealing that electron quasiparticles lose coherence, akin to Luttinger liquids, with implications for C60 molecules.

Contribution

It introduces a continuum field theory approach to fullerene electron interactions, showing the vanishing of quasiparticle poles due to screening effects.

Findings

Effective charge is reduced at low energies.

Quasiparticle poles vanish, indicating loss of coherent excitations.

Results are relevant for understanding electronic properties of C60.

Abstract

We study the Coulomb interactions in fullerene molecules within a continuum formalism. The model gives rise to a renormalizable field theory, which has many similarities to standard quantum electrodynamics. The effective electric charge at low energies is reduced by screening processes. The associated renormalization of the one electron Green's function leads to the vanishing of the quasiparticle pole. It implies the dissappearance of coherent one particle excitations, in close analogy to the one dimensional Luttinger liquid. The relevance of these results for C$_{60}$ and related molecules is discussed.