Electric-field modulation of the charge-density-wave quantum condensate in h-BN/NbS3 quasi-2D/1D heterostructure devices

Abstract

We report on the field-effect modulation of the charge-density-wave quantum condensate in the top-gated heterostructure devices implemented with quasi-one-dimensional NbS3 nanowire channels and quasi-two-dimensional h-BN gate dielectric layers. The charge-density-wave phases and collective current in quasi-1D NbS3 nanowires were verified via temperature dependence of the resistivity, non-linear current–voltage characteristics, and Shapiro steps that appeared in the device response under radio frequency excitation mixed with the DC bias. It was demonstrated that the electric field of the applied gate bias can reversibly modulate the collective current of the sliding charge-density-wave condensate. The collective current reduces with more positive bias, suggesting a surface effect on the condensate mobility. The single-particle current, at small source–drain biases, shows small-amplitude fluctuation behavior, attributed to the variations in the background potential due to the pinned or creeping charge-density-wave condensate. The knowledge of the electric-field effect on the charge density waves in quasi-1D NbS3 nanowires is useful for potential electronic applications of such quantum materials.