Modifying the pinning of the charge density wave in RTe3 compounds by temperature, current, time evolution

In the bridge structures of terbium tritelluride, oriented in the direction of the charge density wave (CDW) the effect of current transfer by a charge density wave, namely its current and temperature evolution was studied. A strong increase in time in the threshold field, E
t
, was detected when the sample was kept at a certain temperature T
0
. After exposure the dependence E
t
(T) changes significantly – a sharp maximum appears at T
0
. Annealing the sample restores the initial values of E
t
at a given temperature and returns the dependence E
t
(T) to a linear form. The result resembles the peak effect in superconductors and is probably associated with the formation of the unusual ordered state of pinning centers upon exposure. Keeping the sample in CDW sliding regime leads to slowing down the process of increasing the threshold field – the relaxation to a glassy-like metastable state occurs.