A quieter state of charge and ultra-low-noise of the collective current in quasi-1D charge-density-wave nanowires

Abstract

Abstract Electronic flicker noise limits phase stability in communication systems, reduces the sensitivity and selectivity of sensors, and degrades coherence in quantum devices. There is a strong need for unconventional materials and strategies for achieving ultra-low-noise performance in nanoscale and quantum electronics. Here, we demonstrate that in nanowires of the quasi-one-dimensional, fully gapped charge-density-wave material (TaSe 4 ) 2 I, low-frequency electronic noise is suppressed below the limit of thermalized charge carriers in passive resistors. When the current is dominated by the sliding Frohlich condensate, the normalized noise spectral density, $${S}_{I}/{I}^{2}$$ S I / I 2 , decreases linearly with current, $$I$$ I — a striking departure from the constant value of $${S}_{I}/{I}^{2}$$ S I / I 2 , observed in conventional conductors. No residual minimum noise level is reached for the current of the electron-lattice condensate in (TaSe 4 ) 2 I nanowires. Repeating the measurements for another charge-density wave conductor, NbS 3 -II, we found a similar reduction below the normal electron limit at room temperature. Our findings signal intrinsically lower current fluctuations within a correlated electron transport regime.