Cited by 815Physics of Superconductivity and MagnetismFullerene Chemistry and ApplicationsOrganic and Molecular Conductors Research

Possible light-induced superconductivity in K3C60 at high temperature

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Mitrano, M., Cantaluppi, A., Nicoletti, D., Kaiser, S., Perucchi, A., Lupi, S., Di Pietro, P., Pontiroli, D. +4 more·2016·Nature

Abstract

The non-equilibrium control of emergent phenomena in solids is an important research frontier, encompassing effects such as the optical enhancement of superconductivity. Nonlinear excitation of certain phonons in bilayer copper oxides was recently shown to induce superconducting-like optical properties at temperatures far greater than the superconducting transition temperature, Tc (refs 4-6). This effect was accompanied by the disruption of competing charge-density-wave correlations, which explained some but not all of the experimental results. Here we report a similar phenomenon in a very different compound, K3C60. By exciting metallic K3C60 with mid-infrared optical pulses, we induce a large increase in carrier mobility, accompanied by the opening of a gap in the optical conductivity. These same signatures are observed at equilibrium when cooling metallic K3C60 below Tc (20 kelvin). Although optical techniques alone cannot unequivocally identify non-equilibrium high-temperature superconductivity, we propose this as a possible explanation of our results.

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Crossref · 10.1038/nature16522

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  • The evidence for photoinduced superconductivity in K3C60 is susceptible to these distortions.

    “we describe how the evidence for photoinduced superconductivity in K3C60 [6-9] is susceptible to these distortions”

    From Optical Saturation Produces Spurious Evidence for Photoinduced Superconductivity in K 3 C 60 (2023) · cites this paper as [6]

    In Methods, “Determination of the transient optical properties” (page unavailable), the paper acknowledges that perturbed free induction decay can deform pump–probe results in some circumstances, but says those deformations are negligible in its K3C60 measurements. It therefore makes the contrary point about the susceptibility of its evidence to these distortions. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Checked by a reasoning model — may be wrong.

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Ignoring the effect of saturation on the depth profile will amplify ∆σs and can make a state with enhanced mobility look like a superconductor over a finite frequency range.

    “Ignoring the effect of saturation on the depth profile will amplify ∆ σ s and can make a state with enhanced mobility look like a superconductor over a finite frequency range [6].”

    From Optical Saturation Produces Spurious Evidence for Photoinduced Superconductivity in K 3 C 60 (2023) · cites this paper as [6]

    The Methods section on determining transient optical properties describes an exponential excitation-depth profile, and the paper says a non-superconducting reduction in carrier scattering could produce similar optical properties. It does not say that ignoring saturation amplifies Δσs or causes an enhanced-mobility state to appear superconducting over a finite frequency range. Page numbers were not available in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.83)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • The spectrum with P_exp looks like that of a superconductor: σ_s1(ω; P_exp) falls to near zero below ħω ≈ 10 meV, σ_s2(ω; P_exp) is enhanced at low frequencies, and a Drude-Lorentz fit yields a carrier relaxation rate γ = 0.

    “The spectrum with P exp looks like that of a superconductor [6-8]: σ s1 ( ω ; P exp ) falls to near zero below ℏ ω ≈ 10 meV, σ s2 ( ω ; P exp ) is enhanced at low frequencies, and a Drude-Lorentz fit yields a carrier relaxation rate γ = 0”

    From Optical Saturation Produces Spurious Evidence for Photoinduced Superconductivity in K 3 C 60 (2023) · cites this paper as [6]

    The paper reports a gapped light-induced conductivity and a low-frequency divergence in σ₂ (discussion of Figs. 3–4; Methods, ‘Comparing transient conductivities below and above Tc’; page unavailable), supporting the description of a superconducting-like spectrum. It does not establish the stated near-zero σ₁ threshold at approximately 10 meV or a Drude–Lorentz fit with γ = 0. Its reported Drude–Lorentz scattering rates concern equilibrium samples and are nonzero (Methods, ‘Equilibrium optical properties and fitting models’; page unavailable). (LLM, conf=0.84)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • The optical properties reported for the photoexcited state with T > Tc at ∆t = 1 ps are qualitatively similar to those of the equilibrium superconducting state.

    “The optical properties reported for the photoexcited state with T > T c at ∆ t = 1 ps are qualitatively similar to those of the equilibrium superconducting state.”
  • The evidence for photoinduced superconductivity in K3C60 hinges on these similarities.

    “The evidence for photoinduced superconductivity in K3C60 hinges on these similarities [6-9].”

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Authors
Mitrano, M., Cantaluppi, A., Nicoletti, D., Kaiser, S., Perucchi, A., Lupi, S., Di Pietro, P., Pontiroli, D., Riccò, M., Clark, S. R., Jaksch, D., & Cavalleri, A.
Affiliations
  • Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter (DE)
  • AREA Science Park (IT)
  • Sapienza University of Rome (IT)
  • University of Parma (IT)
  • University of Oxford (GB)
  • Centre for Quantum Technologies (SG)
Corresponding author
Cavalleri, A.
Venue
Nature
Published
2016-02
Volume
530
Issue
7591
Pages
461-464
ISSN
  • 0028-0836 (ISSN-L)
  • 1476-4687
OpenAlex
W2258635766
Cited by
815
References
57
Citations by year
2026: 49 · 2025: 91 · 2024: 57 · 2023: 72 · 2022: 84 · 2021: 116 · 2020: 114 · 2019: 70 · 2018: 77 · 2017: 58 · 2016: 26
FWCI
45.63
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • arXiv (Cornell University) (submittedVersion)
  • MPG.PuRe (Max Planck Society) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • IRIS Research product catalog (Sapienza University of Rome) (submittedVersion)
  • Explore Bristol Research (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Condensed Matter Physics › Physics of Superconductivity and Magnetism
  • Physical Sciences › Chemistry › Organic Chemistry › Fullerene Chemistry and Applications
  • Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials › Organic and Molecular Conductors Research
Keywords
K3C60, light-induced superconductivity, high-temperature superconductivity, carrier mobility, mid-infrared excitation, nonequilibrium dynamics, fulleride superconductors

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