Metal-insulator transition at B=0 in an ultra-low density (rs=23r_{s}=23) two dimensional GaAs/AlGaAs hole gas

We have observed a metal-insulator transition in an ultra-low density two dimensional hole gas formed in a high quality GaAs-AlGaAs heterostructure at B=0. At the highest carrier density studied ($p_{s}=2.2x10^{10} cm^{-2}, r_{s}=16$) the hole gas is strongly metallic, with an exceptional mobility of $425,000 cm^{2}V^{-1}s^{-1}$. The low disorder and strength of the many-body interactions in this sample are highlighted by the observation of re-entrant metal insulator transitions in both the fractional ($\nu < 1/3$) and integer ($2 > \nu > 1$) quantum Hall regimes. On reducing the carrier density the temperature and electric field dependence of the resistivity show that the sample is still metallic at $p_{s}=1.3x10^{10} cm^{-2}$ ($r_{s}=21$), becoming insulating at $p_{s}{\simeq}1x10^{10} cm^{-2}$. Our results indicate that electron-electron interactions are dominant at these low densities, pointing to the many body origins of this metal-insulator transition. We note that the value of $r_{s}$ at the transition ($r_{s}=23 +/- 2$) is large enough to allow the formation of a weakly pinned Wigner crystal, and is approaching the value calculated for the condensation of a pure Wigner crystal.Comment: 4 pages, latex, 4 postscript figures, submitted to EP2DS-12 on 21st August 1997, to appear in Physica

Induced currents, frozen charges and the quantum Hall effect breakdown

Puzzling results obtained from torque magnetometry in the quantum Hall effect (QHE) regime are presented, and a theory is proposed for their explanation. Magnetic moment saturation, which is usually attributed to the QHE breakdown, is shown to be related to the charge redistribution across the sample.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, Proceedings of the 11th International Symposium "Nanostructures: Physics and Technology", St.Petersburg, Russia, June 23-28, 2003, expanded version with one figure adde

Metal-insulator transition in disordered 2DEG including temperature effects

We calculate self-consistently the mutual dependence of electron correlations and electron-defect scattering for a two dimensional electron gas at finite temperature. We employ an STLS approach to calculate the electron correlations while the electron scattering rate off Coulombic impurities and surface roughness is calculated using self-consistent current-relaxation theory. The methods are combined and self-consistently solved. We discuss a metal-insulator transition for a range of disorder levels and electron densities. Our results are in good agreement with recent experimental observations.Comment: 4 pages, RevTeX + epsf, 5 figure

The Aharonov-Bohm Effect in the Fractional Quantum Hall Regime

We have investigated experimentally resonant tunnelling through single-particle states formed around an antidot by a magnetic field, in the fractional quantum Hall regime. For 1/3 filling factor around the antidot, Aharonov-Bohm oscillations are observed with the same magnetic field period as in the integer quantum Hall regime. All our measurements are consistent with quasiparticles of fractional charge e*. However, the results are also consistent with particles of any charge (>= e*) as the system must rearrange every time the flux enclosed increases by h/e.Comment: Postscript, 4 pages, gzipped (350 kB

Experimental evidence of a metal-insulator transition in a half-filled Landau level

We have measured the low-temperature transport properties of a high-mobility front-gated GaAs/Al_{0.33}Ga_{0.67}As heterostructure. By changing the applied gate voltage, we can vary the amount of disorder within the system. At a Landau level filling factor $\nu =1/2$, where the system can be described by the composite fermion picture, we observe a crossover from metallic to insulating behaviour as the disorder is increased. Experimental results and theoretical prediction are compared.Comment: To be published in Solid State Communications. 4 figure

Two-Component Scaling near the Metal-Insulator Bifurcation in Two-Dimensions

We consider a two-component scaling picture for the resistivity of two-dimensional (2D) weakly disordered interacting electron systems at low temperature with the aim of describing both the vicinity of the bifurcation and the low resistance metallic regime in the same framework. We contrast the essential features of one-component and two-component scaling theories. We discuss why the conventional lowest order renormalization group equations do not show a bifurcation in 2D, and a semi-empirical extension is proposed which does lead to bifurcation. Parameters, including the product $z\nu$, are determined by least squares fitting to experimental data. An excellent description is obtained for the temperature and density dependence of the resistance of silicon close to the separatrix. Implications of this two-component scaling picture for a quantum critical point are discussed.Comment: 7 pages, 1 figur

Geometric Suppression of Single-Particle Energy Spacings in Quantum Antidots

Quantum Antidot (AD) structures have remarkable properties in the integer quantum Hall regime, exhibiting Coulomb-blockade charging and the Kondo effect despite their open geometry. In some regimes a simple single-particle (SP) model suffices to describe experimental observations while in others interaction effects are clearly important, although exactly how and why interactions emerge is unclear. We present a combination of experimental data and the results of new calculations concerning SP orbital states which show how the observed suppression of the energy spacing between states can be explained through a full consideration of the AD potential, without requiring any effects due to electron interactions such as the formation of compressible regions composed of multiple states, which may occur at higher magnetic fields. A full understanding of the regimes in which these effects occur is important for the design of devices to coherently manipulate electrons in edge states using AD resonances.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure

Detection of Coulomb Charging around an Antidot

We have detected oscillations of the charge around a potential hill (antidot) in a two-dimensional electron gas as a function of a perpendicular magnetic field B. The field confines electrons around the antidot in closed orbits, the areas of which are quantised through the Aharonov-Bohm effect. Increasing B reduces each state's area, pushing electrons closer to the centre, until enough charge builds up for an electron to tunnel out. This is a new form of the Coulomb blockade seen in electrostatically confined dots. We have also studied h/2e oscillations and found evidence for coupling of opposite spin states of the lowest Landau level.Comment: 3 pages, 3 Postscript figures, submitted to the proceedings of EP2DS-1

Deconstruction of the Trap Model for the New Conducting State in 2D

A key prediction of the trap model for the new conducting state in 2D is that the resistivity turns upwards below some characteristic temperature, $T_{\rm min}$. Altshuler, Maslov, and Pudalov have argued that the reason why no upturn has been observed for the low density conducting samples is that the temperature was not low enough in the experiments. We show here that $T_{\rm min}$ within the Altshuler, Maslov, and Pudalov trap model actually increases with decreasing density, contrary to their claim. Consequently, the trap model is not consistent with the experimental trends.Comment: Published version of Deconstructio

Low-field magnetoresistance in GaAs 2D holes

We report low-field magnetotransport data in two-dimensional hole systems in GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructures and quantum wells, in a large density range, $2.5 \times 10^{10} \leq p \leq 4.0 \times 10^{11}$ cm$^{-2}$, with primary focus on samples grown on (311)A GaAs substrates. At high densities, $p \gtrsim 1 \times 10^{11}$ cm$^{-2}$, we observe a remarkably strong positive magnetoresistance. It appears in samples with an anisotropic in-plane mobility and predominantly along the low-mobility direction, and is strongly dependent on the perpendicular electric field and the resulting spin-orbit interaction induced spin-subband population difference. A careful examination of the data reveals that the magnetoresistance must result from a combination of factors including the presence of two spin-subbands, a corrugated quantum well interface which leads to the mobility anisotropy, and possibly weak anti-localization. None of these factors can alone account for the observed positive magnetoresistance. We also present the evolution of the data with density: the magnitude of the positive magnetoresistance decreases with decreasing density until, at the lowest density studied ($p = 2.5 \times 10^{10}$ cm$^{-2}$), it vanishes and is replaced by a weak negative magnetoresistance.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figure