Abstract
We report the electric field dependent conductivity in the spin-density-wave (SDW) state of the organic conductor (TMTSF)2PF6 using two different methods for making contacts. A new clamped-contact method reveals that the onset of the SDW transition of (TMTSF)2PF6 may be first order when the sample is strain free. A non-Ohmic behavior of the conductivity is observed above a threshold field in the range of 15 mV/cm. The temperature dependence of the threshold field agrees with a pinning mechanism due to commensurability between the SDW and the underlying lattice. The use of classical painted contacts leads to a smearing of the originally sharp transition and modifies the temperature dependence of the threshold field.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 4862-4865 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Physical Review B |
Volume | 41 |
Issue number | 7 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1990 |