In-plane Magnetic Field Induced Kosterlitz-Thouless Type Metal Insulator Transition in Coupled Double Quantum Wells

TL;DR

This paper investigates how an in-plane magnetic field induces a Kosterlitz-Thouless type metal-insulator transition in coupled double quantum wells, revealing a disorder-driven phase change dependent on magnetic field and coupling strength.

Contribution

It demonstrates that coupled double quantum wells can undergo a Kosterlitz-Thouless transition influenced by magnetic field and disorder, mapping the system to a 2D XY model.

Findings

Transition depends on magnetic field and coupling strength.

Metallic phase exists within a specific magnetic field window.

System maps onto a 2D XY model.

Abstract

We study the localization properties in coupled double quantum wells with an in-plane magnetic field. The localization length is directly calculated using a transfer matrix technique and finite size scaling analysis. We show that the system maps into a 2D XY model and undergoes a disorder driven Kosterlitz-Thouless type metal-insulator transition depending on the coupling strength between the two-dimensional layers and the magnitude of the in-plane magnetic field. For a system with fixed disorder, the metallic regime appears to be a window in the magnetic field - coupling strength plane. Experimental implications of the transition will be discussed.