Correlation-induced phase transitions in two-dimensional electron systems

Abstract

Abstract : The electrons in inversion or accumulation layers of MOSFETs or in semiconductor-semiconductor interfaces show prominent many-body effects. A new theory off the correlation energy is developed for these electrons such that the results are applicable to a wide density range. The ground-state energy is obtained for all densities. It is continuous and convergent, but changes its analytical form at r sub s = 1.414. Associated with this change is a divergence of the compressibility that occurs at r sub s =1.989. Hence, around this r sub s, the system can be considered to be in a liquidlike state. In the (001) direction of silicon inversion layers, the two valleys, occupied equally by the electrons at high densities, may be populated unevenly due to electron correlations. This unbalance will cause a valley occupancy phase transition at r sub s =8.011, in close agreement with a recent experiment. Under a magnetic field, the susceptibility is enhanced nonlinearly when the density of electrons is reduced. This enhancement becomes very strong toward r sub s =13.0, beyond which a spin-polarized state is favored.