Crystals 2012, 2, 1291-1346; doi:10.3390/cryst2031291 OPEN ACCESS crystals ISSN 2073-4352 www.mdpi.com/journal/crystals Review Infrared and Raman Studies of Charge Ordering in Organic Conductors, BEDT-TTF Salts with Quarter-Filled Bands Kyuya Yakushi Toyota Physical and Chemical Research Institute, 41-1, Yokomichi, Nagakute, Aichi 480-1192, Japan; E-Mail:
[email protected]; Tel.: +81-561-57-9512; Fax: +81-561-63-6302 Received: 22 May 2012; in revised form: 4 July 2012 / Accepted: 20 July 2012 / Published: 18 September 2012 Abstract: This paper reviews charge ordering in the organic conductors, β″-(BEDT-TTF) (TCNQ), θ-(BEDT-TTF)2X, and α-(BEDT-TTF)2X. Here, BEDT-TTF and TCNQ represent bis(ethylenedithio)tetrathiafulvalene and 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane, respectively. These compounds, all of which have a quarter-filled band, were evaluated using infrared and Raman spectroscopy in addition to optical conductivity measurements. It was found that β″-(BEDT-TTF)(TCNQ) changes continuously from a uniform metal to a charge- ordered metal with increasing temperature. Although charge disproportionation was clearly observed, long-range charge order is not realized. Among six θ-type salts, four compounds with a narrow band show the metal-insulator transition. However, they maintain a large amplitude of charge order (Δρ~0.6) in both metallic and insulating phases. In the X = CsZn(SCN)4 salt with intermediate bandwidth, the amplitude of charge order is very small (Δρ < 0.07) over the whole temperature range. However, fluctuation of charge order is indicated in the Raman spectrum and optical conductivity. No indication of the fluctuation of charge order is found in the wide band X = I3 salt.