Fluctuating spin density wave conduction in (TMTSF)2X organic superconductors

• Published in: Europhysics letters Vol. 94; no. 1; p. 17002
• Main Authors: Auban-Senzier, P, Pasquier, C. R, Jérome, D, Bechgaard, K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: IOP Publishing 01-04-2011; EPS, SIF, EDP Sciences and IOP Publishing
• Subjects: 72.15.Nj; 74.40.-n; 74.70.Kn
• ISSN: 0295-5075; 1286-4854
• DOI: 10.1209/0295-5075/94/17002

Transport measurements along the least conducting direction of the organic superconductors (TMTSF)2PF6 and (TMTSF)2ClO4 reveal a pronounced sublinear temperature dependence visible up to about four times the superconducting Tc either when pressure is close to the critical pressure for superconductivity in (TMTSF)2PF6 or under ambient pressure in (TMTSF)2ClO4 and ClO4-ReO4 solid solutions. Given the linear temperature dependence of the single-particle scattering in the metallic state derived from a previous investigation, the excess conduction insensitive to magnetic field but suppressed by lattice defects in the solid solution has been ascribed to sliding of fluctuating spin density waves in the vicinity of the antiferromagnetic order. This is the first observation of fluctuating spin density waves contributing to conduction.