NbSe3

NbSe3 is a quasi-one-dimensional inorganic compound with the formula niobium triselenide. It crystallizes in a monoclinic structure formed by parallel Nb–Se chains that run along the b axis, producing highly anisotropic electrical transport.

At room temperature NbSe3 behaves as a metal, but it undergoes two Peierls-type charge-density-wave (CDW) transitions on cooling. The transitions occur at approximately 145 K and 59 K, corresponding to two independent CDWs that partially gap portions of the Fermi surface. This dual-CDW behavior makes NbSe3 a classic system for studying charge-density waves and low-dimensional electronic instabilities.

Electrical transport in NbSe3 is strongly directional, with conduction dominated by the chain direction. The CDW states introduce nonlinear current–voltage characteristics; under sufficiently large electric fields, the CDWs can depin and slide, leading to a sudden increase in conductivity. The depinning phenomenon and threshold fields depend on temperature, sample quality, and geometry.

Synthesis and structure: NbSe3 crystals are typically grown by chemical vapor transport or other crystal-growth techniques. The resulting material features a chain-like monoclinic lattice that underpins its quasi-one-dimensional conduction properties.

In research, NbSe3 serves as a widely studied material for charge-density waves, Peierls transitions, and nonlinear transport phenomena. Its nanoscale forms, such as nanowires and thin flakes, support investigations of CDW dynamics in reduced dimensions and potential device concepts based on CDW sliding.