Structure and properties of a novel fulleride Sm6C60

TL;DR

This study reports the synthesis, structural analysis, and electronic properties of a new fulleride compound Sm6C60, revealing its isostructural nature with known fullerides and insights into its electronic behavior.

Contribution

The paper introduces a novel fulleride Sm6C60 synthesized via high-temperature solid state reaction, with detailed structural and spectroscopic characterization and analysis of its electronic properties.

Findings

Sm6C60 is isostructural with A6C60 fullerides.

Raman spectra suggest Sm is divalent and hybridizes with C60.

Resistivity shows weak T-linear behavior above 180 K.

Abstract

A novel fulleride Sm6C60 has been synthesized using high temperature solid state reaction. The Rietveld refinement on high resolution synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data shows that Sm6C60 is isostructural with body-centered cubic A6C60 (A=K, Ba). Raman spectrum of Sm6C60 is similar to that of Ba6C60, and the frequencies of two Ag modes in Sm6C60 are nearly the same as that of Ba6C60, suggesting that Sm is divalent and hybridization between C60 molecules and the Sm atom could exist in Sm6C60. Resistivity measurement shows a weak T-linear behavior above 180 K, the transport at low temperature is mainly dominated by granular-metal theory.