Suppression of charge density wave order by disorder in Pd-intercalated ErTe$_3$

Abstract: Disorder is generically anticipated to suppress long range charge density wave (CDW) order. We report transport, thermodynamic, and scattering experiments on Pd$_x$ErTe$_3$, a model CDW system with disorder induced by intercalation. The pristine parent compound ($x=0$) shows two separate, mutually perpendicular, incommensurate unidirectional CDW phases setting in at 270 K and 165 K. Here we track the suppression of signatures corresponding to these two parent transitions as the Pd concentration increases. At the largest values of $x$, we observe complete suppression of long range CDW order in favor of superconductivity. We also report evidence from electron and x-ray diffraction which suggests a tendency toward short-range ordering along both wavevectors which persists even well above the crossover temperature. Pd$_x$ErTe$_3$ provides a promising model system for the study of the interrelation of charge order and superconductivity in the presence of quenched disorder.