Hidden Fermi Surface Nesting and Charge Density Wave Instability in Low-Dimensional Metals
M. -H. WHANGBO 1,
E. CANADELL 2,
P. FOURY 3, and
J. -P. POUGET 3
1 Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695
2 Laboratorie de Chimie Théorique, Université de Paris-Sud, 91405 Orsay, France
3 Laboratoire de Physique des Solides, Université de Paris-Sud, 91405 Orsay, France
The concept of hidden Fermi surface nesting was introduced to explain the general observation that certain low-dimensional metals with several partially filled bands exhibit charge density wave (CDW) instabilities, although their individual Fermi surfaces do not reveal the observed nesting vectors. This concept was explored by considering the Fermi surfaces of the purple bronze AMo6O17 (A = sodium or potassium) and then observing the CDW spatial fluctuations expected from its hidden nesting on the basis of diffuse x-ray scattering experiments. The concept of hidden Fermi surface nesting is essential for understanding the electronic instabilities of low-dimensional metals.
Submitted on December 12, 1990
Accepted on January 24, 1991
