Quasi-one-dimensional conductors such as niobium triselenide exhibit striking transport properties resulting from the collective motion of charge-density waves (CDWs). A detailed understanding of these phenomena has been difficult because of the many factors, including pinning by impurities and other defects, surface pinning, finite size effects, and contacts which may affect the behavior. This work will study niobium triselenide doped with hydrogen impurities which very weakly interact with the CDWs and permit study of the weakly pinned regime. Both the nature of CDW-surface interactions and finite size effects will also be studied. This program will be supported by a strong materials effort involving the characterization of defects and the development of improved crystal growth methods.
