Metastable charge-density-wave states in NbSe3 studied by magnetotransport

Magnetoquantum oscillations in NbSe3 have been used to study metastable electronic states produced by impurity pinning of charge-density waves (CDW's). Simultaneous measurements of the oscillations in separate sections of the crystal have provided information on the distribution of the metastable domain configurations. A model calculation of the magnetic-breakdown network responsible for the magnetoresistance oscillations was used to generate the various observed frequency distributions. The effects of domain boundaries on the oscillatory components of the magnetoresistance and Hall resistance were evaluated from a simple model. Metastable CDW states are shown to be directly related to the volume impurity pinning of the CDW; they also determine the threshold electric fields required for CDW collective motion