Interaction Between C60 Fullerene and Alkali Metals Demonstrating Superconductivity

A discret summation method [1] has been used to calculate the van der Waals dispersion interactions between an alkali metal atom and individual C60 fullerene molecules, as well as between an intercalated alkali metal atom and the face-centred-cubic lattice of solid fullerite. It is known [2, 3] that the conductivities observed in the doped C60 films vary considerably for different alkali atoms. Our interest was to investigate any correlation between these conductivities and the long range potential field behaviour. In the present study, we have obtained interaction potential curves of the C60 fullerene molecule including within its cage, as well the potential field topography within the overall C60 fullerite solid unit cell. We have found that for all intercalated alkali metals, except Cs, there are voids within the unit-cell of fullerite where the dopant experiences attractive interactions. Whereas on the other hand, inside the fullerene cage only Li and Na experience attractive forces. Importantly, it has been shown that the localization of the crystallographic sites [4] of doped alkali metals in fullerite coincide with the potential energy minima of long range van der Waals forces.