Microwave study using cavity perturbation technique revealed that the conductivity of antiferromagnet (NH$_3$)K$_{ 3-x}$Rb$_x$C$_{ 60}$ at 200K is already 3-4 orders of magnitude smaller than those of superconductors, K$_3$C$_{ 60}$ and (NH$_3$)$_x$NaRb$_2$C$_{ 60}$, and that the antiferromagnetic compounds are { \it insulators} below 250K without metal-insulator transitions. The striking difference in the magnitude of the conductivity between these materials strongly suggests that the Mott-Hubbard transition in the ammoniated alkali fullerides is driven by a reduction of lattice symmetry from face-centered-cubic to face-centered-orthorhombic, rather than by the magnetic ordering.
Categories: cond-mat.supr-con cond-mat.str-el