Transversely Driven Charge Density Waves and Striped Phases of High-T$_c$ Superconductors: The Current Effect Transistor

Abstract

We show that a normal (single particle) current density $J_x$ {\em transverse} to the ordering wavevector $2k_F{\bf\hat{z}}$ of a charge density wave (CDW) has dramatic effects both above and {\em below} the CDW depinning transition. It exponentially (in $J_x$) enhances CDW correlations, and exponentially suppresses the longitudinal depinning field. The intermediate longitudinal I-V relation also changes, acquiring a {\em linear} regime. We propose a novel ``current effect transistor'' whose CDW channel is turned on by a transverse current. Our results also have important implications for the recently proposed ``striped phase'' of the high-T$_c$ superconductors.Comment: change of title and minor corrections, 4 RevTeX pgs, to appear in Phys. Rev. Lett., 81, 3711 (1998