Towards a comprehensive theory of metal–insulator transitions in doped semiconductors

Abstract

A review is given on the theory of metal–insulator transitions (MIT) in doped semiconductors. We focus in particular on reviewing theories of their anomalous magnetic properties, which emerge from the interplay of spin and charge correlations and disorder. Building on the review of these existing theories and experiments, we suggest that the finite temperature phase diagram can be structured into 1. a quantum spin liquid phase at subcritical doping and low temperature, as described by the Bhatt–Lee theory of random spin clusters, mostly random singlets. 2. a critical non-Fermi-liquid fan, originating at the MIT, which is dominated by random Kondo singlets with a universal tail of the distribution of their binding energies. This is caused by multifractality and results in an anomalous power law divergence of the magnetic susceptibility with a universal power and 3. a supercritical, low temperature phase. Rare events caused by the random placement of dopants do not allow to define strict phase boundaries. Remaining open problems are reviewed and outlined. Finally, the possibility of finite temperature delocalization transitions is reviewed, which are caused by the correlation induced temperature dependence of the spin scattering rate from magnetic moments. This review article is devoted to the memory of Konstantin B. Efetov.