Understanding the Effects of Controlled Strain on Low-Dimensional Material Properties

A material is typically considered low-dimensional if electron movement within the material is limited, for example, to within a particular ionic plane or along an axis. When strain is introduced to an ideal material, lattice deformations may cause substantial changes in structural and electronic properties. Studying the effects strain have on a material can lead to basic insights into the physics governing the material as well as an understanding of how a material’s properties can be manipulated for use in applications. Strain can be introduced to a low-dimensional material through processes such as sample cleaving, elemental doping, chemical pressure, and external mechanical application. Here we detail our efforts to implement a system for controlled external straining of a sample. We present resistivity measurements showing the effects strain has on the bulk phase transition temperature of a charge density wave compound. We will discuss how this system can be used in further studies which characterize strain on the nanoscale.