X-ray investigation of charge-density-wave pinning in blue bronze

Abstract

High-resolution x-ray diffraction has resolved the phase-coherence volume of the charge-density wave in electron-irradiated blue bronze. The coherence volume is 3.7\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{8}$ \AA{} $^{3}$ for defect density n=0.034 at. %. The coherence lengths decrease roughly as ${\mathit{n}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}0.4}$. Results are contrasted with various theories of pinning.