Robust superconductivity intertwined with charge density wave and disorder in Pd-intercalated ErTe3

Abstract

Pd-intercalated ErTe3 is studied as a model system to explore the effect of "intertwined"superconducting and charge density wave (CDW) orders. Despite the common wisdom that superconductivity emerges only when CDW is suppressed, we present data from STM and ac susceptibility measurements that show no direct competition between CDW order and superconductivity. Both coexist over most of the intercalation range, with uniform superconductivity over length scales that exceed the superconducting coherence length. This is despite persisting short-range CDW order and increased scattering from the Pd intercalation. While superconductivity is insensitive to local defects in either of the bidirectional CDWs, vestiges of the Fermi-level distortions are observed in the properties of the superconducting state.