Radio-Frequency-Driven Modulation of the Mesoscale Charge-Density-Wave Landscape in 1T-TaS₂ Thin Films

Radio-frequency excitation directly modulates the mesoscale charge–density-wave landscape in quasi-two-dimensional 1T-TaS_2​ thin films. Under combined RF and DC bias, the hysteretic current–voltage characteristics associated with the nearly commensurate–incommensurate transition are strongly altered, displaying RF-driven collapse, branching, and multiple step-like features that depend on frequency and drive amplitude. In situ Raman measurements show enhanced intensity and linewidth narrowing of low-frequency CDW phonon modes, consistent with reduced dephasing and increased coherence of the periodic lattice distortion under RF drive. This behavior is captured by a combined overdamped time-dependent Ginzburg–Landau description of the commensurate CDW and a morphology-informed percolative resistor-capacitor transport model. The Ginzburg–Landau model output is consistent with a scenario in which RF excitation anneals frustrated domain configurations, reduces domain-wall density, and reorganizes the discommensuration network. The resulting morphology defines the circuit model, which reproduces the resulting hysteresis, avalanche-like pathways, and RF-induced conductance steps. RF driving therefore provides an effective route for controlling the current-voltage response originating from the nearly commensurate–incommensurate transition with applications to CDW oscillator networks and harmonic generation.