Splitting of the electronic states near E_F in A₄C₆₀ compounds (A = alkali metal)

Abstract

The electronic structure of A₄C6₀ compounds (A=Na, K, Cs) has been studied using electron energy-loss spectroscopy. Both the low energy loss functions and Cls core excitation measurements reveal a strong splitting of the electronic states near the Fermi level in comparison with K₃C₆₀ or K₆C₆₀. This splitting indicates a lowering of the high degeneracy of the C₆₀ molecular orbitals due to a broken symmetry ground state and/or the opening of a correlation gap in these systems.