Stiff liquid and solid of electrons in two dimensions

Abstract

Electrons in two-dimensional (2D) layers at semiconductor interfaces may be driven to a solid phase by reducing their density. Understandmg of this electron liquid-solid transition at mK-temperatures and the origin of the 2D electron solid phase remain challenging. The experimental system under study is subject to strong interactions and disorder. Charge transport in the electron solid phase demonstrates many features anticipated for the pinned crystal, though no direct imaging of a spatial charge- or magnetic-ordering is available by now. Rich information has been recently obtained for dilute electron liquid phase on strong renormalization of the Pauli spin susceptibility, magnetization, and the effective mass. These data provide a set of the Fermi-liquid coupling parameters for densities down to and at the transition. The steep density dependence of the susceptibility is intriguing because it might indicate a developing magnetic transition, though it is more likely reflects a tendency to crystallization.