Differential scanning calorimetry at charge-density-wave transitions

Abstract We examined the use of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) to measure the specific heat anomalies at second-order charge-density-wave transitions in blue bronze (K 0.3 MoO 3 ), NbSe 3 and TaS 3 . Samples of different morphologies were investigated to examine possible effects of different thermal time constants; results were generally independent of morphology. For blue bronze, an anomaly Δc p = 0.16 R was found at its 180 K transition; for NbSe 3 , Δc p = 0.06 R at 142 K, and for TaS 3 , Δc p R at 220 K. Our results demonstrate the practicality of using DSC for the quantitative measurement of small specific heat anomalies ( ⪆0.2% ) in synthetic metals.