Freezeout of the electrical resistivity in (BEDT-TTF)2I3 below 20 K

Abstract

We have measured the temperature (T) dependence of the resistivity rho of the beta and K phases of (BEDT-TTF)2I3 from 300 K down to Tc ( approximately 1.3 K and approximately 4 K for the beta and kappa phases, respectively). Between 100 K and 20 K, rho varies as T2. Below 20 K, the resistivity falls below the T2 law. We calculate the resistivity due to electron-electron scattering and find that this contribution is far too small to account for the measured resistivity, besides being inconsistent with the freezeout below 20 K. We suggest that the resistivity is due to electron-phonon scattering described by a novel mechanism that has been proposed for the high-Tc cuprates. We also suggest that this mechanism accounts for the T2 law observed in materials such as TiS2, Nb-doped SrTiO3, and intercalated graphite.