Dimensional crossover of quantum nucleation processes in charge-density-wave phase slips

Abstract

A phenomenological model for quantum phase slips of charge-density waves that takes into account the system-size effect is presented. The process of quantum nucleation leading to the phase slip changes from vortex-pair to vortex-ring creations as the external electric field increases, which is analogous to the evolution of a ripple in a rectangular water tank. The crossover field is determined by the system size. The present model describes a number of features observed in the nonohmic conductivity in ${\mathrm{TaS}}_{3}$ at low temperature.