Dielectric hysteresis and relaxation in the charge-density-wave compoundK0.3MoO3

The electrical properties of the charge-density-wave compound blue bronze (${\mathrm{K}}_{0.3}$ ${\mathrm{MoO}}_3$) have been investigated at several temperatures around T=4.2 K. A nonlinear current-voltage relationship was observed with an increase of the conductance by six orders of magnitude above a well-defined threshold voltage $V_T$. A giant remanent dielectric polarization was recorded below $V_T$. The polarization exhibits slow relaxation with a logarithmic or stretched exponential time dependence over the time domain of 10 msec–1000 sec.