Charge fluctuations and superconductivity in organic conductors: the case of $\beta"$-(BEDT-TTF)$_2$SF$_5$CH$_2$CF$_2$SO$_3$

Abstract

A $^{13}$C NMR study of the normal and superconducting states of the all-organic charge-transfer salt $\beta"$-(BEDT-TTF)$_2$SF$_5$CH$_2$CF$_2$SO$_3$ is presented. We find that the normal state is a charge-ordered metal configured as vertical stripes, produced by a combination of 1/4-filling, correlations, and a polar counterion sublattice. The NMR properties associated with the superconducting state are consistent with gap nodes and singlet pairing, and therefore similar to other organic superconductors. Quite distinct, however, is the absence of evidence for low-energy antiferromagnetic spin fluctuations for $T>T_c=4.5$ K. Both aspects are discussed in the context of a proposal that the pairing in this compound is driven by charge fluctuations.