Jahn-Teller effect in C60 molecules as a possible reason for the superconductivity of doped fullerite
Loktev V. M., Pashitskii E. A.
The "high-temperature" superconductivity of solid fullerene (fullerite) doped with alkali metal atoms may result from a dynamic lifting of the band degeneracy and virtual interband (or intervalley) transitions of electrons. These transitions would be caused by deformation vibrations of the highly symmetric C60 molecules (buckyballs) exhibiting a Jahn-Teller effect. This idea would explain, in particular, why the hyperfullerenes Cn with η > 70 do not exhibit a superconductivity in crystals: They do not have Jahn-Teller properties, because of their lower symmetry.
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![](/ps/1275/article_19288_800_head.png "The "high-temperature" superconductivity of solid fullerene (fullerite) doped with alkali metal atoms may result from a dynamic lifting of the band degeneracy and virtual interband (or intervalley) transitions of electrons. These transitions would be caused by deformation vibrations of the highly symmetric C<sub>60</sub> molecules (buckyballs) exhibiting a Jahn-Teller effect. This idea would explain, in particular, why the hyperfullerenes <i>C<sub>n</sub> </i>with <i>η </i>> 70 do not exhibit a superconductivity in crystals: They do not have Jahn-Teller properties, because of their lower symmetry.")