Structural Aspects of the Bechgaard Salts and Related Compounds

J.P. Pouget; S. Ravy

doi:doi:10.1051/jp1:1996171

Issue		J. Phys. I France Volume 6, Number 12, December 1996


Page(s)		1501 - 1525
DOI		https://doi.org/10.1051/jp1:1996171

DOI: 10.1051/jp1:1996171
J. Phys. I France 6 (1996) 1501-1525

Structural Aspects of the Bechgaard Salts and Related Compounds

J.P. Pouget and S. Ravy

Laboratoire de Physique des Solides CNRS URA 2, Bât. 510, Université Paris-Sud, 91405 Orsay Cedex, France

(Received 11 March 1996, received in final form and accepted 17 June 1996)

Abstract
Structural aspects of the Bechgaard salts (TMTSF) ₂X and related 2:1 salts, mostly based on the sulfur donors TMTTF and BCPTTF as well as on the hybrid TMDTDSF donor, are considered in relationship with their physical properties. The basic structure of these salts is reviewed with a special emphasize on the dimerization of the organic stack and on the disorder of the anions (X). Then the density waves instabilities driven by the donor stacks are discussed. It is shown in particular that (TMTSF) ₂PF ₆ exhibits a mixed $2k_{\rm F}$ CDW-SDW ground state. The $4k_{\rm F}$ charge localization phenomena and the $2k_{\rm F}$ instability of the organic stacks are described in relationship with the structural dimerization and the importance of Coulomb interactions. In the strong charge localization case the spin Peierls instabilities of (TMTTF) ₂PF ₆ and of (BCPTTF) ₂PF ₆ are more particularly detailed. General aspects of the anion ordering transitions exhibited by salts with non centrosymmetrical anions are pointed out as well as the influence of such transitions on the electronic properties. Finally the relevance of these structural features is briefly discussed by comparing the Bechgaard salts series' of quasi-one dimensional conductors to the family of two dimensional (BEDTTTF) ₂X conductors.