Effects of interactions and disorder on the compressibility of two-dimensional electron and hole systems

The compressibility χ of dilute two-dimensional electron and hole gases in GaAs semiconductor structures has been studied in the ranges of the interaction parameter r_s=1–2.5 and r_s=10–30 for the electron and hole system, respectively. Nonmonotonic dependence of χ^-1 with an upturn at low carrier densities is observed. Despite the large difference in r_s the behavior of χ^-1 in both systems can be accurately described by the theory of nonlinear screening of disorder by the carriers.     

Effective spin susceptibility, electron mass and Landé factor in two-dimensional (2D) Si inversion layers

We have studied the silicon (Si) band-structure, electron–electron and electron-ionized donor interaction effects on our accurate and approximate results (AcR and ApR) for renormalized effective spin susceptibitity (RESS), electron mass (EEM), Landé factor and spin polarization in the impure 2D Si (electron system), showing that:(i) our ApR, being strongly deviated from our AcR, reproduces approximately all the data obtained recently by Pudalov et al. (Phys. Rev. Lett. 88 (2002) 196404) [in particular, RESS =4.7 at the critical value of Wigner–Seitz radius r_s: r_s=r_c≈8.5 at which occur the “apparent” metal–insulator transition (MIT)] and can also be compared with other ApRs found in the recent literature,(ii) both the RESS and EEM produce physical singularities at the same critical value: r_s=r_c11.05661 (weakly disordered samples) at which occurs the “true” MIT; the existence of such two “apparent and true” critical values in this impure system agrees with a recent discussion by Abrahams et al. (Rev. Mod. Phys. 73 (2001) 251), and(iii) at r_s=r_c=8.5, at which occurs the “apparent” MIT, our AcR for effective spin polarization and the corresponding result, obtained using a disordered Hubbard model and a determinant quantum Monte Carlo method by Denteneer and Scalettar (Phys. Rev. Lett. 90 (2003) 246401), both give the same result: ξ_eff.=ξ_c0.31 at B0.4 T, which is found to be lower than the critical parallel magnetic field for full spin polarization, B_c=1.29 T, supporting thus the existence of such an “apparent” MIT.     

Collective electron excitations in 3D graphite clusters

Group-theoretical analysis and subsequent quantum-chemical calculations based on the molecular orbital method applied to a cyclic model of 3D semimetallic graphite lead to a multiplet of spectroscopic combinations of Slater determinants. The transition energies ΔE between terms of the multiplet are interpreted as the energies of collective electron mesoscopic excitations ?ω in the entire set of electron states characterizing the metal-type conductivity of a cluster. The estimate ?ω～0.2ΔE(N ₀/1000)^2/3 is obtained for a cluster consisting of N ₀ primitive cells. Depending on the thermal processing, N ₀=(0.3–20)×10⁶ in pyrolytic graphite, and accordingly ?ω～(10–150) eV. In the case when the energy cannot be determined accurately, methods permitting the variation of an excitation over a wide range (such as the spectroscopy of synchrotron radiation absorption and the characteristic energy losses of charged particles) appear to be the most promising.     

Magnetic field dependence of the metal–insulator transition in Ga[Al]As-heterostructures

A metal–insulator transition at zero magnetic field is observed in Ga[Al]As-heterostructures where a high density of self-assembled InAs-quantum dots is located in the region of the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG). This transition occurs only in samples with high dot densities. In contrast to other two-dimensional systems showing a metallic phase the Coulomb energy is comparable to the kinetic energy in our systems. Measurements in perpendicular fields reveal that the resistivity at B=0 is composed of several contributions. In the metallic regime a weak localization peak is superposed on top of a broad negative magnetoresistivity. In the insulating regime, the weak localization peak at B=0 develops into a very pronounced negative magnetoresistivity with decreasing electron density. Pronounced, almost B-periodic oscillations in the magnetoresistivity are observed in addition to universal conductance fluctuations.     

Universal behaviour of metal–insulator transitions in the p-SiGe system

Magnetoresistance measurements are presented for a strained p-SiGe quantum well sample where the density is varied through the B=0 metal–insulator transition. The close relationship between this transition, the high-field Hall insulator transition and the filling factor insulating state is demonstrated.     

A new metallic state in two dimensions

We report the discovery of a new and unexpected kind of metal in two dimensions (2D), which exists in the presence of scattering by local magnetic moments. The experiment was carried out on a 2D electron system in silicon, where the local magnetic moments have been induced by disorder and their number was varied using substrate bias (V_sub). In the new metal, the conductivity decreases as σ(n_s,T)=σ(n_s,T=0)+A(n_s)T² (n_s – carrier density) to a non-zero value as temperature T→0. In three dimensions, this T² dependence is well known, and results from Kondo scattering by local magnetic moments. In 2D, however, the existence of a metal with dσ/dT>0 is very surprising. As the number of local moments is reduced, the range of temperatures [T<T_m(V_sub)] where they dominate transport becomes smaller. For T>T_m, we observe the usual 2D metallic behavior with dσ/dT<0.     

Interface-charged impurity scattering in semiconductor MOSFETs and MODFETs: temperature-dependent resistivity and 2D ‘metallic‘ behavior

We present the results on the anomalous 2D transport behavior by employing Drude–Boltzmann transport theory and taking into account the realistic charge impurity scattering effects. Our results show quantitative agreement with the existing experimental data in several different systems and address the origin of the strong and nonmonotonic temperature-dependent resistivity.     

Dipole trap model for the metal–insulator transition in gated silicon-inversion layers

The dipole trap model can explain many features of the metallic behavior in gated high-mobility silicon-inversion layers. We have performed numerical calculations of the resistivity in order to drop several restrictions of former analytical considerations. The effect of a limited spatial extent and of energetical distribution broadening of trap states is discussed in this work.     

Small mass enhancement near the metal–insulator transition in gated silicon inversion layers

The strong resistivity changes in the metallic state of two-dimensional electron systems have recently been assigned to quantum interaction corrections in the ballistic regime. We have performed analysis of Shubnikov–de Haas oscillations on high-mobility silicon inversion layers where we have explicitly taken into account that the back scattering angle has different influence on momentum relaxation and quantum life time. The consistent analysis under the assumption of the ballistic interaction corrections leads to smaller increase of the effective mass with decreasing electron density as usually reported.     

Electronic and magnetic properties of double perovskites (, Ca)

We have studied the magnetic and electronic properties of double perovskites A₂FeReO₆ with A=Ba and Ca using ab initio methods based on density functional theory. It has been shown that when changing Ba by Ca the system undergoes a metal–insulator transition coincidentally to a structural phase transition, even if conduction band fillings are not significantly changed. Our results suggest that only considering a quite large correlation term on the Re site could explain an insulating character for Ca₂FeReO₆. Instead, we found that small correlations could induce a bad metallic behavior as suggested in more recent experiments.     

Metal–insulator-transition studied by single-electron tunneling

We present measurements of single-electron tunneling in a vertical GaAs/AlGaAs double-barrier resonant-tunneling device with a low emitter doping. The transport spectrum of our sample exhibits a series of differential conductance peaks which experience an exponential shift to higher voltages with magnetic fields beyond a critical magnetic field. We attribute this effect to a metal-insulator transition in our device. A detailed analysis of the temperature-dependence of this effect is shown.     

The effect of interface roughness scattering on low field mobility of 2D electron gas in GaN/AlGaN heterostructure

We report the results of our experimental and theoretical studies concerning the temperature dependence of electron mobility in a two dimensional electron gas (2DEG) confined at the GaN/AlGaN interface. Experimental mobility of about at 3.8 K remains almost constant up to lattice temperature , it then decreases rapidly down to about at . The results are discussed using a theoretical model that takes into account the most important scattering mechanisms contributing to determine the mobility of electrons in 2DEG. We show that the polar optical phonon scattering is the dominant mechanism at high temperatures and the acoustic deformation potential and piezoelectric scatterings are dominant at the intermediate temperatures. At low temperatures, the Hall mobility is confined by both the interface roughness (IFR) and ionised impurity scattering. The correlation length (Λ) and lateral size (Δ) of roughness at the GaN/AlGaN heterointerface have been determined by fitting best to our low-temperature experimental data.     

Electric and magnetic properties of PMMA/manganite composites

We present the synthesis and characterization of the La_2/3Sr_1/3MnO₃ manganite in the form of tapes using polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) as binder. We have studied their electric and magnetic properties as a function of temperature and magnetic field. The magnetization results have been shown to be dominated by the intrinsic magnetic properties of the manganite. Resistivity measurements showed an insulating behavior in the whole range of temperatures measured, indicating that the percolation threshold of manganite grains has not been reached even for the sample with 35% of PMMA relative content. The obtained magnetoresistance is largest in the sample with 35% of PMMA relative content.     

Collective spin excitations in 2D paramagnet with dipole interaction

The collective spin excitations in the unbounded 2D paramagnetic system with dipole interactions are studied. The model Hamiltonian includes Zeeman energy and dipole interaction energy, while the exchange vanishes. The system is placed into a constant uniform magnetic field which is orthogonal to the lattice plane. It provides the equilibrium state with spin ordering along the field direction, and the saturation is reached at zero temperature. We consider the deviations of spin magnetic moments from its equilibrium position along the external field. The Holstein-Primakoff representation is applied to spin operators in low-temperature approximation. When the interaction between the spin waves is negligible and only two-magnon terms are taken into account, the Hamiltonian diagonalisation is possible. We obtain the dispersion relation for spin waves in the square and hexagonal honeycomb lattice. Bose-Einstein statistics determine the average number of spin deviations, and total system magnetization. The lattice structure does not influence on magnetization at the long-wavelength limit. The dependencies of the relative magnetization and longitudinal susceptibility on temperature and external field intensity are found. The internal energy and specific heat of the Bose gas of spin waves are calculated. The collective spin excitations play a significant role in the properties of the paramagnetic system at low temperature and strong external magnetic field.     

Effect of dielectric coating on the electron work function and the surface stress of a metal

The electron work function, contact potential difference, and surface stress of the elastically deformed faces of the metal covered by a dielectric are calculated by using the Kohn–Sham method and stabilized jellium model. Our calculations demonstrate the opposite deformation dependencies of the work function and contact potential difference. Dielectric coating leads to a negative change in the work function and a positive change in the contact potential difference. It is shown that the measurements of the contact potential difference of a deformed face by the Kelvin method give only the change in the value of the one-electron effective potential in the plane of a virtual image behind the surface, rather than the value of the electron work function. The obtained values of the electron work function and surface stress for Al, Au, Cu, and Zn are in agreement with the results of experiments for polycrystals.     

Cloaking of 2D particle geometries in a surface medium

We theoretically examine the cloaking condition for two-dimensional particles with varying geometry embedded inside a surface medium. General solutions are obtained for multi-layer particle configurations with either all positive or partially negative constitutive parameters respectively. Cloaking of particle geometries that are large relative to the incident wavelength is demonstrated. Theoretical predictions are compared to full-wave numerical simulations for arrays of particles consisting of different geometries.     

The limitimg behaviour of the well width of a quantum two-dimensional metal–insulator transition

Metal–Insulator transition using an exact two-dimensional (2D) dielectric function is investigated for a shallow donor in an isolated well of a GaAs/Ga_1−xAl_sAs superlattice system within the effective mass approximation. Vanishing of the donor ionization energy as a function of well width and the donor concentration suggests that a phase transition is not possible even below a well width of 10 Å, supporting the scaling theory of localization. The effects of Anderson localization, exchange and correlation in the Hubbard model are included in a simple way. The relationship between the present model and the Mott criterion in terms of Hubbard model is also brought out. The critical concentration appears to be enhanced when a random distribution of impurities is considered. The limiting behaviour of the well width for a quantum 2D well is brought out. A simple expression is derived for a Mott constant in 2D, a*N_c^1/2 exp (9.86 exp (−L/a*))=0.123, where N_c is the critical concentration per area. Results are compared with the existing data available and discussed in the light of existing literature.     

Thickness effects on the Coulomb drag rate in double quantum layer systems

In this paper, we have investigated the effect of quantum layer thickness on Coulomb drag phenomenon in a double quantum well (DQW) system, in which the electrons momentum can transfer from one layer to another. We have applied the full random phase approximation (RPA) in dynamical dielectric matrix of this coupled two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) system in order to obtain an improved result for temperature-dependent rate of momentum transfer. We have calculated the drag rate transresistivity for various well thicknesses at low and intermediate temperatures in Fermi-scale and for different electron gas densities. It has been obtained that the Coulomb drag rate increases with increasing the well width when the separation between the wells remains unchanged.