Mott-Hubbard Scenario for the Metal-Insulator Transition in the Two Dimensional Electron Gas

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that the metal-insulator transition in two-dimensional electron gases, specifically in Si MOSFETs, can be explained by the Mott-Hubbard scenario, revealing a universal critical energy scale and critical exponent.

Contribution

It provides experimental evidence supporting the Mott-Hubbard model as the explanation for the MIT in 2D electron systems, with analysis of critical behavior near the transition.

Findings

Identification of a universal critical energy scale at MIT

Confirmation of the Mott-Hubbard scenario through experimental data

Extraction of a critical exponent associated with the transition

Abstract

By comparing the responses to an in-plane magnetic field near the metal-insulator transition (MIT), we find that the observed MIT in Si MOSFETs can be described by the non-perturbative Mott-Hubbard scenario. Interrelations between independent measurables are uncovered and confirmed by replotting the experimental data. A universal critical energy scale vanishing at the MIT is extracted from the experimental data and the critical exponent found.