Percolative instabilities and sparse-limit fractality in 1T−TaS₂

The low-temperature metallic phase of 1T-TaS₂ may originate from current- and voltage-driven destabilization of the commensurate charge density wave (CDW) in a strongly correlated Mott insulator, alongside the robust yet rarely realized influence of intrinsic electronic distortions. Electrical pulse-driven transport, combined with second harmonic response, reveals abrupt switching, negative differential resistance (NDR), and multiscale domain-wall reorganization. The free energy analysis identifies a critical order parameter threshold for the Mott-metal transition, with scaling exponents (β approx 1.3) consistent with 2D percolation. The sparse limit fractal dimension Df approx 0.3 at 10 K, rising to approx 0.9 at 300 K, reflects the hierarchical evolution of the conductive pathways throughout the temperature. These findings establish a direct connection between fractal percolation, pulse-induced instabilities, and correlated electron transport, offering a framework for controlled access to non-equilibrium phase transitions in low-dimensional quantum materials.