Low-Frequency Current Fluctuations and Sliding of the Charge Density Waves in Two-Dimensional Materials

We investigated low-frequency noise in two-dimensional (2D) charge density wave (CDW) systems, 1T-TaS2 thin films, as they were driven from the nearly commensurate (NC) to incommensurate (IC) CDW phases by voltage and temperature stimuli. This study revealed that noise in 1T-TaS2 has two pronounced maxima at the bias voltages, which correspond to the onset of CDW sliding and the NC-to-IC phase transition. We observed unusual Lorentzian features and exceptionally strong noise dependence on electric bias and temperature, leading to the conclusion that electronic noise in 2D CDW systems has a unique physical origin different from known fundamental noise types. We argue that noise spectroscopy can serve as a useful tool for understanding electronic transport phenomena in 2D CDW materials characterized by coexistence of different phases and strong pinning.