Molecular metals and superconductors: BEDT-TTF radical salts

Abstract

The first discovery of superconductivity in an organic metal - in the radical salts of TMTSF (tetramethyltetraselenafulvalene) - under pressure and ambient pressure has demonstrated that in addition to the usual intrastack contacts between the donor molecules in quasi one dimensional metals intermolecular contacts between molecules in neighbouring stacks are important. These interstack contacts result in a less pronounced one dimensional electronic behaviour leading to a stabilization of the metallic character down to low temperatures.