A.V. Frolov – Junior Research Scientist, 

Kotel’nikov Institute of Radio Engineering and Electronics of RAS (Moscow)

E-mail: fralek@mail.ru

A.P. Orlov – Ph.D. (Phys.-Math.), Senior Research Scientist, 

Kotel’nikov Institute of Radio Engineering and Electronics of RAS (Moscow)

V.A. Shakhunov – Ph.D. (Eng.), Senior Research Scientist, 

Kotel’nikov Institute of Radio Engineering and Electronics of RAS (Moscow)

A.A. Sinchenko – Dr.Sc. (Phys.-Math.), Leading Research Scientist, 

Kotel’nikov Institute of Radio Engineering and Electronics of RAS (Moscow)

Problem formulating. Compounds RTe3 (R: Y, La, Ce, Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb, Ho, Dy, Er, Tm) are the only layered (quasi-2D) materials in which charge density wave (CDW) sliding is reliably observed. These compounds have a fundamentally different type of temperature dependence of the threshold field Et(T), which characterizes pinning − the coupling of a charge density wave with defects. We noted that the threshold field shows a significant increase during the exposure of the sample for a long time at a certain temperature T < Tc.

Goal. To study in detail the effect of increasing the threshold field when the sample is held at a certain temperature T0 in the TbTe3 compound.

Result. It was found that the exposure of the sample at a certain temperature T0 leads to an increase in the threshold field. The time dependence of the threshold value Et(T) has a relaxation character with anomalously large values of the time constant, which shows an exponential increase with decreasing holding temperature T0. After the sample is kept in the temperature dependence of the threshold field, a maximum appears with a peak at T0. Heating the sample, followed by cooling to the exposure temperature, restores the initial value of the threshold field.

Practical meaning. The discovered effect resembles the peak effect observed in superconductors and is probably associated with the formation of CDW defects upon exposure to an ordered structure. The results obtained in this paper allow us to come closer to understanding the features of pinning of a charge density wave in quasi-two-dimensional compounds.

1. Monceau P. Advances in Physics. 2012. V. 61. № 4. P. 325−581.
2. Sinchenko A.A., Lejay P., Monceau P. Phys. Rev. B. 2012. V. 85. № 24. P. 241104.
3. Sinchenko A.A., et al. Solid State Communications. 2014. V. 188. P. 67−70.
4. Frolov A.V., et al. JETP Letters. 2018. V. 107. № 8. P. 488−492.
5. Frolov A.V., et al. Features of pinning of a charge-density wave in quasi-two-dimensional compounds. JETP Letters. 2019.  V. 109. № 3. P. 203−206.