STRAIN-INDUCED REDUCTION OF 1 F NOISE OF SLIDING CHARGE-DENSITY WAVES/

In this report we show that imposing mechanical bending vibrations on a NbSe3 charge-density-wave (CDW) sample at the sliding state causes a dramatic reduction in the low-frequency (1/f-like) noise. The spectru m of the noise becomes flatter. We argue that by periodically forcing the CDW to jump to a far away configuration in the phase space, the sy stem loses its long-time memory, thus causing a decrease in the 1/f no ise as well as a flattening in its spectrum. Also, we show a reduction in threshold voltage under periodic strain, an indication that the CD W under strain has access to more sliding configurations with lower fi elds not accessible without strain, allowing an easier decoupling of t he CDW from the lattice.