Bypassing the lattice BCS–BEC crossover in strongly correlated superconductors through multiorbital physics

Superconductivity emerges from the spatial coherence of a macroscopic condensate of Cooper pairs. Increasingly strong binding and localization of electrons into these pairs compromises the condensate’s phase stiffness, thereby limiting critical temperatures – a phenomenon known as the BCS–BEC crossover in lattice systems. In this study, we demonstrate enhanced superconductivity in a multiorbital model of alkali-doped fullerides (A₃C₆₀) that goes beyond the limits of the lattice BCS–BEC crossover. We identify that the interplay of strong correlations and multiorbital effects results in a localized superconducting state characterized by a short coherence length but robust stiffness and a domeless rise in critical temperature with increasing pairing interaction. To derive these insights, we introduce a new theoretical framework allowing us to calculate the fundamental length scales of superconductors, namely the coherence length (ξ₀) and the London penetration depth (λ_L), even in presence of strong electron correlations.