LARGE POLARON IN AN ANHARMONIC CRYSTAL LATTICE

Abstract

Extending the Frohlich polaron problem to an anharmonic lattice, the author studies a polaronic state with a large radius of the wave function. The appropriate anharmonic part of the electron–phonon interaction Hamiltonian is derived, based on the methods of quantum field theory. Then, with the help of the perturbation theory, the anharmonic correction to the electron–phonon coupling constant is straightforwardly calculated. The estimate of this correction shows that the anharmonicity can considerably increase the e–ph coupling constant if the longitudinal phonon frequency is lower than ~10 meV. Several materials, molecular crystals α-sexithiophene (α-6T), α, ω dihexylsexithiophene (H-6T), and perovskite-type oxides, in which the anharmonic polaronic effects should be pronounced, are discussed. A comparison of the results with other anharmonic models of a polaronic state is drawn.