Electronic Properties Of Buckminsterfullerenes: Degeneracies and Surprises

TL;DR

This paper reviews recent theoretical studies on the electronic properties of Buckminsterfullerenes, highlighting how local degeneracies due to molecular symmetry lead to novel electronic phases and surprising physical phenomena.

Contribution

It introduces models of electron-vibron and electron-electron interactions in Buckminsterfullerenes, emphasizing the role of local degeneracies in electronic phase behavior.

Findings

Local degeneracies cause novel electronic phases

High molecular symmetry influences electron correlations

Models explain superconductivity and ferromagnetism in fullerenes

Abstract

Buckminsterfullerene compounds exibit remarkable physics at low temperatures, e.g. high temperature superconductivity in alkali-fullerenes, and ferromagnetism in TDAE -C60. Here we review recent theoretical studies of electron correlations in these compounds. In particular, we discuss models of electron-vibron interactions, electron-electron interactions, and intermolecular hopping. We show that the origin of novel electronic phases lies in {\em local} degeneracies of C60; a direct consequence of the high molecular symmetry.