Interactions and Scaling in a Disordered Two-Dimensional Metal

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that a disordered two-dimensional electron system can be a stable, perfect conductor in a non-Fermi liquid state when interactions are strong, but localizes otherwise, using replica field theory analysis.

Contribution

It establishes the stability of a non-Fermi liquid state in disordered 2D metals and characterizes conditions for perfect conduction versus localization.

Findings

Non-Fermi liquid state remains stable with strong interactions and disorder.

Disordered 2D metals can be perfect conductors, not Fermi liquids.

Weak disorder analysis using replica field theory confirms these results.

Abstract

We show that a non-Fermi liquid state of interacting electrons in two dimensions is stable in the presence of disorder and is a perfect conductor, provided the interactions are sufficiently strong. Otherwise, the disorder leads to localization as in the case of non-interacting electrons. This conclusion is established by examining the replica field theory in the weak disorder limit, but in the presence of arbitrary electron-electron interaction. Thus, a disordered two-dimensional metal is a perfect metal, but not a Fermi liquid.