Emergence of robust charge density wave phases in one-dimensional nanostructures of -phase
Phys. Rev. B 114, 165415 – Published 17 September, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/7tjs-mlcw
Abstract
Charge-density waves (CDWs) are a hallmark of collective electronic ordering. As the pioneering and most fundamental model system studied in CDW physics, one-dimensional (1D) CDWs are theoretically profound yet experimentally fragile. They are widely recognized to be highly susceptible to environmental screening and surrounding lattice bonding. As a result, robust and stable CDWs have thus far been predominantly realized in nearly isolated 1D systems. Here, we demonstrate that robust 1D CDWs can emerge even when the 1D systems are embedded in a two-dimensional metallic environment. Using scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy, we observe clear CDW signatures, including periodic charge modulation and pseudogap formation near the Fermi level, in multiple distinct 1D nanostructures formed in -phase . Our first-principles calculations reproduce the main experimental results, providing strong support for the CDW origin. The consistent observation of these key features across different structural motifs provides unambiguous evidence that CDW order can be robustly stabilized in quasi-1D systems, despite the presence of strong metallic screening and significant surrounding lattice bonding.