Dynamical properties of bidirectional charge-density-waves in ErTe$_3$

Abstract

We report a strong difference in the sliding properties of the bidirectional charge density wave (CDW) in the two-dimensional rare earth tritelluride ErTe$_3$ which occurs below $T_{CDW1}=265$ K with a wave vector along $c$-axis and below $T_{CDW2}=165$ K with a wave vector along $a$-axis; the excess current carried by the motion of the CDW is 10 times less for the lower CDW compared with the value of the upper one. We tentatively explain this result by a stronger pinning of the lower temperature CDW intricated with the upper one, which inhibits its motion and may generate a phase slippage lattice.