Phonon dynamics and multipolar isomorphic transition in β-pyrochlore KOs2O6

We investigate with a microscopic model anharmonic K-cation oscillation observed by neutron experiments in β-pyrochlore superconductor KOs2O6, which also shows a mysterious first-order structural transition at Tp = 7.5 K. We have identified a set of microscopic model parameters that successfully reproduce the observed temperature dependence and the superconducting transition temperature. Considering changes in the parameters at Tp, we can explain puzzling experimental results about electron-phonon coupling and neutron data. Our analysis demonstrates that the first-order transition is multipolar transition driven by the octupolar component of K-cation oscillations. The octupole moment does not change the symmetry and is characteristic to noncentrosymmetric K-cation potential. (author)