Local charge-density-wave structure in 1T-TaS/sub 2/ determined by scanning tunneling microscopy

Journal Article · Tue Nov 15 04:00:00 EST 1988 · Phys. Rev. B: Condens. Matter; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.38.10734· OSTI ID:6743537

Thomson, R E; Walter, U; Ganz, E; Clarke, J; Zettl, A; Rauch, P; DiSalvo, F J

We have imaged simultaneously the lattice and the charge-density-wave (CDW) superstructure in 1T-TaS/sub 2/ over the temperature range 370--77 K. In the nearly commensurate (NC) phase between 353 and 183 K we find that the CDW occurs not in commensurate domains but with a uniform, incommensurate orientation throughout the crystal surface. Local measurements of the relative angle between the CDW and the underlying atomic lattice failed to find any areas where the local angle was the commensurate angle, in contradiction to the hexagonal-domain NC-phase model of Nakanishi and Shiba. In the nearly commensurate triclinic (T) phase between 223 and 283 K produced when the temperature is increased, we have directly observed CDW discommensurations in agreement with the stretched honeycomb discommensurate T-phase model of Nakanishi and Shiba.

• Research Organization: Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720
• OSTI ID: 6743537
• Journal Information: Phys. Rev. B: Condens. Matter; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Rev. B: Condens. Matter; (United States) Vol. 38:15; ISSN PRBMD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360603* -- Materials-- Properties
CHALCOGENIDES
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
DOMAIN STRUCTURE
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
IMAGES
LOW TEMPERATURE
MEDIUM TEMPERATURE
MICROSCOPY
PLASMA WAVES
REFRACTORY METAL COMPOUNDS
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
TANTALUM COMPOUNDS
TANTALUM SULFIDES
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
TUNNEL EFFECT