Charge-Density Waves of Single and Double NbS$_{3}$ Chains

TL;DR

This study reports the first observation of charge-density waves in isolated single and double-chain NbS$_{3}$, revealing new CDW states in genuinely one-dimensional systems, unlike previous quasi-one-dimensional studies.

Contribution

First experimental investigation of CDWs in isolated single and double-chain NbS$_{3}$, demonstrating genuine 1D electronic states with novel CDW patterns.

Findings

Observed a $(1/4)b^*$ CDW in single-chain NbS$_{3}$

Detected coexistence of $(1/2)b^*$ dimer and $(1/3)b^*$ CDW in double-chain NbS$_{3}$

First to investigate CDWs in truly one-dimensional NbS$_{3}$ systems

Abstract

The physics of a genuine one-dimensional system in which electrons are confined in one direction remains unclear. The actual electronic state of such a genuinely one-dimensional system has not been investigated in previous experiments, for they have all been conducted on quasi-one-dimensional specimens, namely in strongly anisotropic bulk crystals. Conventionally, charge-density waves (CDWs) driven by Fermi surface nesting have been considered to appear in one-dimensional electron-lattice systems. However, the CDW transitions actually observed to date have all occurred in quasi-one-dimensional systems and therefore do not directly indicate a genuine one-dimensional electronic state. We investigated, for the first time, isolated single and double-chain NbS$_{3}$ samples using the carbon-nanotube-sheath method and discovered CDWs in both systems. In the single-chain, surprisingly, a $(1/4)b^*$ CDW was observed, in contrast to the $(1/3)b^*$ CDW that has been observed in bulk samples. In the double-chain, the coexistence of a $(1/2)b^*$ dimer structure and a $(1/3)b^*$ CDW was confirmed. This discovery represents a significant advancement in the field of low-dimensional physics, surpassing the limitations of previous studies on bulk systems.