110 research outputs found
Contributions of spontaneous phase slippage to linear and non-linear conduction near the Peierls transition in thin samples of o-TaS_3
In the Peierls state very thin samples of TaS_3 (cross-section area \sim
10^{-3} mkm^2) are found to demonstrate smearing of the I-V curves near the
threshold field. With approaching the Peierls transition temperature, T_P, the
smearing evolves into smooth growth of conductance from zero voltage
interpreted by us as the contribution of fluctuations to the non--linear
conductance. We identify independently the fluctuation contribution to the
linear conductance near T_P. Both linear and non-linear contributions depend on
temperature with close activation energies \sim (2 - 4) x 10^3 K and apparently
reveal the same process. We reject creep of the {\it continuous} charge-density
waves (CDWs) as the origin of this effect and show that it is spontaneous phase
slippage that results in creep of the CDW. A model is proposed accounting for
both the linear and non-linear parts of the fluctuation conduction up to T_P.Comment: 6 pages, 5 Postscript figure, RevTeX, accepted for publication in PR
Coupling of the lattice and superlattice deformations and hysteresis in thermal expansion for the quasi one-dimensional conductor TaS
An original interferometer-based setup for measurements of length of
needle-like samples is developed, and thermal expansion of o-TaS crystals
is studied. Below the Peierls transition the temperature hysteresis of length
is observed, the width of the hysteresis loop being up to . The behavior of the loop is anomalous: the length changes so
that it is in front of its equilibrium value. The hysteresis loop couples with
that of conductivity. The sign and the value of the length hysteresis are
consistent with the strain dependence of the charge-density waves (CDW) wave
vector. With lowering temperature down to 100 K the CDW elastic modulus grows
achieving a value comparable with the lattice Young modulus. Our results could
be helpful in consideration of different systems with intrinsic
superstructures.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures. Phys. Rev. Lett., accepted for publicatio
Parametric generation of second sound in superfluid helium: linear stability and nonlinear dynamics
We report the experimental studies of a parametric excitation of a second
sound (SS) by a first sound (FS) in a superfluid helium in a resonance cavity.
The results on several topics in this system are presented: (i) The linear
properties of the instability, namely, the threshold, its temperature and
geometrical dependencies, and the spectra of SS just above the onset were
measured. They were found to be in a good quantitative agreement with the
theory. (ii) It was shown that the mechanism of SS amplitude saturation is due
to the nonlinear attenuation of SS via three wave interactions between the SS
waves. Strong low frequency amplitude fluctuations of SS above the threshold
were observed. The spectra of these fluctuations had a universal shape with
exponentially decaying tails. Furthermore, the spectral width grew continuously
with the FS amplitude. The role of three and four wave interactions are
discussed with respect to the nonlinear SS behavior. The first evidence of
Gaussian statistics of the wave amplitudes for the parametrically generated
wave ensemble was obtained. (iii) The experiments on simultaneous pumping of
the FS and independent SS waves revealed new effects. Below the instability
threshold, the SS phase conjugation as a result of three-wave interactions
between the FS and SS waves was observed. Above the threshold two new effects
were found: a giant amplification of the SS wave intensity and strong resonance
oscillations of the SS wave amplitude as a function of the FS amplitude.
Qualitative explanations of these effects are suggested.Comment: 73 pages, 23 figures. to appear in Phys. Rev. B, July 1 st (2001
NbS: A unique quasi one-dimensional conductor with three charge density wave transitions
Through transport, compositional and structural studies, we review the
features of the charge-density wave (CDW) conductor of NbS (phase II). We
highlight three central results: 1) In addition to the previously reported CDW
transitions at = 360\,K and = 150\,K, another CDW transition
occurs at a much higher temperature = 620-650\,K; evidence for the
non-linear conductivity of this CDW is presented. 2) We show that CDW
associated with the - transition arises from S vacancies acting as
donors. Such a CDW transition has not been observed before. 3) We show
exceptional coherence of the -CDW at room-temperature. Additionally, we
report on the effects of uniaxial strain on the CDW transition temperatures and
transport.Comment: 16 pages, 18 figure
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