Quantized voltage jumps observed in the charge-density-wave conduction noise inTaS3

The charge-density-wave conduction noise in ${\mathrm{TaS}}_3$ is studied just above threshold $E_T$. As the applied field $E$ approaches $E_T$ the periodic voltage oscillations observed at large $E$ decompose into stochastic voltage jumps of both signs. For a fixed field the jump magnitude is quantized. A consistent explanation for the jump pattern as well as the magnitude is obtained from the vortex model.