Misconceptions associated with the origin of charge density waves

Abstract

Charge density wave (CDW) is an important concept in condensed matter physics, germane to a number of physical phenomena. But the origin of CDW is still under debate, partly because the origin and properties of CDW are highly material-dependent. The concept of a CDW has been applied to many materials without a clear definition of the fundamental nature of CDW. As a result, misconceptions about CDW can be seen in the literature. In this review, we will try to describe and explain the possible existing misconceptions associated with the origin of CDWs.

Keywords

• Charge density wave
• Fermi surface nesting
• electron–phonon coupling
• electron correlations
• charge ordering