Charge density wave formation in $R_2$Te${}_5$ ($R$=Nd, Sm and Gd)

Abstract

The rare earth ($R$) tellurides $R_2$Te${}_5$ have a crystal structure intermediate between that of $R$Te${}_2$ and $R$Te${}_3$, consisting of alternating single and double Te planes sandwiched between $R$Te block layers. We have successfully grown single crystals of Nd${}_2$Te${}_5$, Sm${}_2$Te${}_5$ and Gd${}_2$Te${}_5$ from a self flux, and describe here the first evidence for charge density wave formation in these materials. The superlattice patterns for all three compounds are relatively complex, consisting at room temperature of at least two independent wavevectors. Consideration of the electronic structure indicates that to a large extent these wave vectors are separately associated with sheets of the Fermi surface which are principally derived from the single and double Te layers.

10 pages, 6 figures

References in corpus (1)

• STM Studies of TbTe3: Evidence for a fully Incommensurate Charge Density Wave

Cited by in corpus (4)

• Principles of crystal growth of intermetallic and oxide compounds from molten solutions
• Thermal hysteretic behavior and negative magnetoresistance in an unusual charge-density-wave material EuTe4
• Multiple charge-density-wave gaps in LaSbTe and CeSbTe as revealed by ultrafast spectroscopy
• Comparative study of terbium tellurides Tb2Te5 and TbTe3