Effect of the In-Plane Magnetic Field on Conduction of the Si-inversion Layer: Magnetic Field Driven Disorder

TL;DR

This study investigates how in-plane magnetic fields influence the metallic conduction in Si-inversion layers, revealing a continuous suppression of metallic behavior similar to increased disorder, which constrains theoretical models of 2D conduction.

Contribution

It demonstrates that the effects of parallel magnetic field on resistivity can be modeled by a magnetic field dependent disorder, providing new insights into 2D metallic conduction mechanisms.

Findings

Parallel magnetic field weakens metallic conduction in high-mobility samples.

Magnetic field effects are similar to increased disorder, with no threshold.

Resistivity under magnetic field matches high-temperature resistivity values.

Abstract

We compare the effects of temperature, disorder and parallel magnetic field on the metallic-like temperature dependence of the resistivity. We found a similarity between the effects of disorder and parallel field: the parallel field weakens the metallic-like conduction in high mobility samples and make it similar to that for low-mobility samples. We found a smooth continuous effect of the in-plane field on conduction, without any threshold. While conduction remains non-activated, the parallel magnetic field restores the same resistivity value as the high temperature does. This matching sets substantial constraints on the choice of the theoretical models developed to explain the mechanism of the metallic conduction and parallel field magnetoresistance in 2D carrier systems. We demonstrate that the data for magneto- and temperature dependence of the resistivity of Si-MOS samples in parallel field may be well described by a simple model of the magnetic field dependent disorder.