Metal-insulator transition in 2D: Anderson localization by temperature-dependent disorder?

TL;DR

This paper extends the scaling theory of localization to include temperature-dependent disorder, revealing how the interplay between metallic behavior and localization can induce a metal-insulator transition in 2D systems.

Contribution

It introduces a generalized scaling equation accounting for temperature-dependent random potentials, providing a new framework for understanding 2D metal-insulator transitions.

Findings

Derivation of a scaling equation for resistance with temperature-dependent disorder

Identification of resistance maxima and minima due to competing effects

Illustration of a metal-insulator transition in a charged trap model

Abstract

A generalization of the single-parameter scaling theory of localization is proposed for the case when the random potential depends on temperature. The scaling equation describing the behavior of the resistance is derived. It is shown that the competition between the metallic-like temperature dependence of the Drude resistivity and localization leads to a maximum (minimum) at higher (lower) temperatures. An illustration of a metal-insulator transition in the model of charged traps, whose concentration depends on temperature, is presented.