J. Phys. IV France 12 (2002) Pr9-127
DOI: 10.1051/jp4:20020377

On the critical current for the charge density wave transport

A.A. Sinchenko¹, S.G. Zybtsev², I.G. Gorlova², Yu.I. Latyshev², V.Ya. Pokrovskii² and P. Monceau<sup>3

1</sup>  Moscow State Engineering Physics Institute, Kashirskoe Sh. 31, 115409 Moscow, Russia
²  Institute of Radio-Engineering and Electronics RAS, Mokhovaya 11-7, GSP-9, I01999 Moscow, Russia
³  Centre de Recherches sur les Très Basses Temperatures, CNRS, BP. 166, 38042 Grenoble cedex 9, France

Abstract
We report transport measurements under very high current densities j, up to 10⁸ A/cm ², of quasi-one-dimensional charge-density wave (CDW) conductors NbSe ₃ and TaS ₃. Above j₀-10¹ A/cm ² the point contacts NbSe ₃-NbSe ₃ show a sharp singularity, and the TaS ₃ nanosamples show metallic temperature dependence (positive d R/d n. We interpret both results as an evidence for the suppression of the Peierls gap 2A and development of the metallic state above j₀. Possible scenarios of the Peierls state destruction are discussed.

© EDP Sciences 2002