# Density wave like transport anomalies in surface doped Na$_{2}$IrO$_3$

## TL;DR

This study demonstrates that surface doping of Na$_{2}$IrO$_3$ via plasma etching induces a transition from insulator to metal and reveals signatures of density wave-like phase transitions, with surface structure remaining unchanged.

## Contribution

It shows that high energy plasma etching can tune surface conductivity and induce density wave-like transitions without altering surface structure.

## Key findings

- Surface conductivity can be tuned from insulating to metallic.
- Transport measurements show signatures of first order phase transitions.
- Surface structure remains unchanged after plasma etching.

## Abstract

We report that the surface conductivity of Na$_{2}$IrO$_3$ crystal is extremely tunable by high energy Ar plasma etching and can be tuned from insulating to metallic with increasing etching time. Temperature dependent electrical transport for the metallic samples show signatures of first order phase transitions which are consistent with charge or spin density wave like phase transitions recently predicted theoretically. Additionally, grazing-incidence small-angle x-ray scattering (GISAXS) reveal that the room temperature surface structure of Na$_{2}$IrO$_3$ does not change after plasma etching.