Influence of carrier lifetime on quantum criticality and superconducting Tc of (TMTSF)2ClO4

Abstract

This work presents and analyzes electrical resistivity data on the organic superconductor (TMTSF)2ClO4 and their anion-substituted alloys (TMTSF)2(ClO4)1−x(ReO4)x along the least conducting c★ axis. Nonmagnetic disorder introduced by finite size domains of anion ordering on non-Fermi-liquid character of resistivity is investigated near the conditions of quantum criticality taking place at x=0. The evolution of the T-linear resistivity term with anion disorder shows a limited decrease in contrast with the complete suppression of the critical temperature Tc as expected for unconventional superconductivity beyond a threshold value of x. The resulting breakdown of scaling between both quantities is compared to the theoretical predictions of a linearized Boltzmann equation combined to the scaling theory of umklapp scattering in the presence of disorder-induced pair breaking for the carriers. The theory shows that quantum antiferromagnetic fluctuations, which are at the core of unconventional Cooper pairing and inelastic scattering of T-linear resistivity in these systems, are weakly affected by disorder while the phase coherence responsible for a finite Tc can be completely suppressed.

Source-reported materials — not catalogue approval

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