Continuous Metal-insulator Transition Research Articles

Continuous Metal-Insulator Transition and Scale Laws in Metallic n-Type InP

We have studied the transport properties in metallic n-type InP semiconductor. We show that the dependence on temperature of metallic electrical conductivity obey to the law 𝜎 = 𝜎(𝑇 = 0) + 𝑚𝑇1/2. We highlight the absence of a minimum electrical conductivity 𝜎𝑚𝑖𝑛 proposed by Mott at the metal-insulator transition. We show that the conductivity at temperature T = 0 K, 𝜎(𝑇 = 0) , follows a scaling law as a function of the effective parallel and perpendicular Bohr radii 𝑎∥ and 𝑎⊥.

Continuous Mott Transition in Moiré Semiconductors: Role of Long-Wavelength Inhomogeneities.

Recent experiments in moiré transition metal dichalcogenide materials have reported the observation of a continuous bandwidth-tuned transition from a metal to a paramagnetic Mott insulator at a fixed filling of one electron per moiré unit cell. The electrical transport measurements reveal a number of puzzling features that are seemingly at odds with the theoretical expectations of an interaction-induced, but disorder-free, bandwidth-tuned metal-insulator transition. In this Letter, we include the effects of long-wavelength inhomogeneities, building on the results for a continuous metal-insulator transition at fixed filling in the clean limit. We examine the effects of mesoscale inhomogeneities near the critical point on transport using the framework of random resistor networks, highlighting the salient differences from a simple percolation-based picture. We place our results in the context of recent and ongoing experiments.

Dynamic charge Kondo effect and a slave fermion approach to the Mott transition

Mott transition plays a key role in strongly correlated physics but its nature is not yet fully understood. Motivated by recent development of Schwinger boson approach for the Kondo lattice, we propose in this work a novel slave fermion algorithm to study the Mott transition. Upon local approximation, our method yields a phase diagram with a zero-temperature continuous (Mott) metal-insulator transition at finite Coulomb interaction $U$ for the half-filled one-band Hubbard model on a square lattice, and the resistivity exhibits a critical scaling around the quantum Widom line. We argue that the Mott transition may be associated with a dynamic charge Kondo effect of local degenerate doublon and holon states, causing sharp resonances on the doublon/holon and electron spectra. The transition is pushed to $U=0$ once intersite antiferromagnetic correlations are included, in agreement with exact numerical calculations. Our approach captures some essential features of the Mott transition and offers an alternative angle to view this important problem. It can be extended to study other correlated electron models with more complicated local interactions.

Interaction-Driven Metal-Insulator Transition with Charge Fractionalization

It has been proposed that an extended version of the Hubbard model which potentially hosts rich correlated physics may be well simulated by the transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) moir\'{e} heterostructures. Motivated by recent reports of continuous metal-insulator transition (MIT) at half filling, as well as correlated insulators at various fractional fillings in TMD moir\'{e} heterostructures, we propose a theory for the potentially continuous MIT with fractionalized electric charges. The charge fractionalization at the MIT will lead to various experimental observable effects, such as a large critical resistivity as well as large universal resistivity jump at the continuous MIT. These predictions are different from previously proposed theory for interaction-driven continuous MIT. Physics in phases near the MIT will also be discussed.

Continuous Mott transition in semiconductor moiré superlattices.

The evolution of a Landau Fermi liquid into a non-magnetic Mott insulator with increasing electronic interactions is one of the most puzzling quantum phase transitions in physics1-6. The vicinity of the transition is believed to host exotic states of matter such as quantum spin liquids4-7, exciton condensates8 and unconventional superconductivity1. Semiconductor moiré materials realize a highly controllable Hubbard model simulator on a triangular lattice9-22, providing a unique opportunity to drive a metal-insulator transition (MIT) via continuous tuning of the electronic interactions. Here, by electrically tuning the effective interaction strength in MoTe2/WSe2 moiré superlattices, we observe a continuous MIT at a fixed filling of one electron per unit cell. The existence of quantum criticality is supported by the scaling collapse of the resistance, a continuously vanishing charge gap as the critical point is approached from the insulating side, and a diverging quasiparticle effective mass from the metallic side. We also observe a smooth evolution of the magnetic susceptibility across the MIT and no evidence of long-range magnetic order down to ~5% of the Curie-Weiss temperature. This signals an abundance of low-energy spinful excitations on the insulating side that is further corroborated by the Pomeranchuk effect observed on the metallic side. Our results are consistent with the universal critical theory of a continuous Mott transition in two dimensions4,23.

A continuous metal-insulator transition driven by spin correlations

While Mott insulators induced by Coulomb interactions are a well-recognized class of metal-insulator transitions, insulators purely driven by spin correlations are much less common, as the reduced energy scale often invites competition from other degrees of freedom. Here, we demonstrate a clean example of a spin-correlation-driven metal-insulator transition in the all-in-all-out pyrochlore antiferromagnet Cd2Os2O7, where the lattice symmetry is preserved by the antiferromagnetism. After the antisymmetric linear magnetoresistance from conductive, ferromagnetic domain walls is removed experimentally, the bulk Hall coefficient reveals four Fermi surfaces of both electron and hole types, sequentially departing the Fermi level with decreasing temperature below the Néel temperature, TN = 227 K. In Cd2Os2O7, the charge gap of a continuous metal-insulator transition opens only at T ~ 10 K << TN. The insulating mechanism parallels the Slater picture, but without a folded Brillouin zone, and contrasts sharply with Mott insulators and spin density waves, where the electronic gap opens above and at TN, respectively.

Modeling multiorbital effects in Sr2IrO4 under strain and a Zeeman field

We present a comprehensive study of a three-orbital lattice model suitable for the layered iridate Sr2IrO4. Our analysis includes various on-site interactions (including Hubbard and Hund's) as well as compressive strain, and a Zeeman magnetic field. We use a self-consistent mean field approach with multiple order parameters to characterize the resulting phases. While in some parameter regimes the compound is well described by an effective J=1/2 model, in other regimes the full multiorbital description is needed. As a function of the compressive strain, we uncover two quantum phase transitions: first a continuous metal-insulator transition, and subsequently a first order magnetic melting of the antiferromagnetic order. Crucially, bands of both J=1/2 and J=3/2 nature play important roles in these transitions. Our results qualitatively agree with experiments of Sr2IrO4 under strain induced by a substrate, and motivate the study of higher strains.

Universal dielectric response across a continuous metal-insulator transition

A wide range of disordered materials, including disordered correlated systems, show "Universal Dielectric Response" (UDR), followed by a superlinear power-law increase in their optical responses over exceptionally broad frequency regimes. While extensively used in various contexts over the years, the microscopics underpinning UDR remains controversial. Here, we investigate the optical response of the simplest model of correlated fermions, Falicov-Kimball model (FKM), across the continuous metal-insulator transition (MIT) and analyze the associated quantum criticality in detail using cluster extension of dynamical mean field theory (CDMFT). Surprisingly, we find that UDR naturally emerges in the quantum critical region associated with the continuous MIT. We tie the emergence of these novel features to a many-body orthogonality catastrophe accompanying the onset of strongly correlated electronic glassy dynamics close to the MIT, providing a microscopic realization of Jonscher's time-honored proposal as well as a rationale for similarities in optical responses between correlated electronic matter and canonical glass formers.

Quantum critical magnetotransport at a continuous metal-insulator transition

In contrast to the seminal weak localization prediction of a non-critical Hall constant ($R_{H}$) at the Anderson metal-insulator transition (MIT), $R_{H}$ in quite a few real disordered systems exhibits both, a strong $T$-dependence and critical scaling near their MIT. Here, we investigate these issues in detail within a non-perturbative "strong localization" regime using cluster-dynamical mean field theory (CDMFT). We uncover $(i)$ clear and unconventional quantum-critical scaling of the $\gamma$-function, finding that $\gamma(g_{xy})\simeq$ log$(g_{xy})$ over a wide range spanning the continuous MIT, very similar to that seen for the longitudinal conductivity, $(ii)$ strongly $T$-dependent and clear quantum critical scaling in both transverse conductivity and $R_{H}$ at the MIT. We find that these surprising results are in comprehensive and very good accord with signatures of a novel kind of localization in disordered NbN near the MIT, providing substantial support for our "strong" localization view.

Thermal transport across a continuous metal-insulator transition

The celebrated Wiedemann-Franz (WF) law is believed to be robust in metals as long as interactions between electrons preserve their fermion-quasiparticle character. We study thermal transport and the fate of the WF law close to a continuous metal-insulator transition (MIT) in the Falicov-Kimball model (FKM) using cluster-dynamical mean-field theory (CDMFT). Surprisingly, as for electrical transport, we find robust and novel quantum critical scaling in thermal transport across the MIT. We unearth the deeper reasons for these novel findings in terms of (i) the specific structure of energy-current correlations for the FKM and (ii) the microscopic electronic processes which facil- itate energy transport while simultaneously blocking charge transport close to the MIT. However, within (C)DMFT, we also find that the WF law survives at T=0 in the incoherent metal right up to the MIT, even in absence of Landau quasiparticles.

Enhanced superconductivity and superconductor to insulator transition in nano-crystalline molybdenum thin films

Disorder driven superconductor to insulator transition via intermediate metallic regime is reported in nano-crystalline thin films of molybdenum. The nano-structured thin films have been deposited at room temperature using DC magnetron sputtering at different argon pressures. The grain size has been tuned using deposition pressure as the sole control parameter. A variation of particle sizes, room temperature resistivity and superconducting transition has been studied as a function of deposition pressure. The nano-crystalline molybdenum thin films are found to have large carrier concentration but very low mobility and electronic mean free path. Hall and conductivity measurements have been used to understand the effect of disorder on the carrier density and mobilities. Ioffe-Regel parameter is shown to correlate with the continuous metal-insulator transition in our samples.

Lifshitz transition driven by spin fluctuations and spin-orbit renormalization inNaOsO3

In systems where electrons form both dispersive bands and small local spins, we show that changes of the spin configuration can tune the bands through a Lifshitz transition, resulting in a continuous metal-insulator transition associated with a progressive change of the Fermi surface topology. In contrast to a Mott-Hubbard and Slater pictures, this spin-driven Lifshitz transition appears in systems with small electron-electron correlation and large hybridization. We show that this situation is realized in 5$d$ distorted perovskites with an half-filled $t_{2g}$ bands such as NaOsO$_3$, where the strong $p-d$ hybridization reduces the local moment, and spin-orbit coupling causes a large renormalization of the electronic mobility. This weakens the role of electronic correlations and drives the system towards an itinerant magnetic regime which enables spin-fluctuations.

Quantum critical transport at a continuous metal-insulator transition

In contrast to the first-order correlation-driven Mott metal-insulator transition, continuous disorder-driven transitions are intrinsically quantum critical. Here, we investigate transport quantum criticality in the Falicov-Kimball model, a representative of the latter class in the strong disorder category. Employing cluster-dynamical mean-field theory, we find clear and anomalous quantum critical scaling behavior manifesting as perfect mirror symmetry of scaling curves on both sides of the MIT. Surprisingly, we find that the beta function $\ensuremath{\beta}(g)$ scales as $log(g)$ deep into the bad-metallic phase as well, providing a sound unified basis for these findings. We argue that such strong localization quantum criticality may manifest in real three-dimensional systems where disorder effects are more important than electron-electron interactions.

Electron transport in nano-scaled piezoelectronic devices

The Piezoelectronic Transistor (PET) has been proposed as a post-CMOS device for fast, low-power switching. In this device, the piezoresistive channel is metalized via the expansion of a relaxor piezoelectric element to turn the device on. The mixed-valence compound SmSe is a good choice of PET channel material because of its isostructural pressure-induced continuous metal insulator transition, which is well characterized in bulk single crystals. Prediction and optimization of the performance of a realistic, nano-scaled PET based on SmSe requires the understanding of quantum confinement, tunneling, and the effect of metal interface. In this work, a computationally efficient empirical tight binding (ETB) model is developed for SmSe to study quantum transport in these systems and the scaling limit of PET channel lengths. Modulation of the SmSe band gap under pressure is successfully captured by ETB, and ballistic conductance shows orders of magnitude change under hydrostatic strain, supporting operability of the PET device at nanoscale.

Structural and correlation effects in the itinerant insulating antiferromagnetic perovskite NaOsO3

The orthorhombic perovskite NaOsO3 undergoes a continuous metal-insulator transition (MIT), accompanied by antiferromagnetic (AFM) order at T_N=410 K, suggested to be an example of the rare Slater (itinerant) MIT. We study this system using ab initio and related methods, focusing on the origin and nature of magnetic ordering and the MIT. The rotation and tilting of OsO6 octahedra in the GdFeO3 structure result in moderate narrowing the band width of the t_{2g} manifold, but sufficient to induce flattening of bands and AFM order within the local spin density approximation (LSDA), where it remains metallic but with a deep pseudogap. Including on-site Coulomb repulsion U, at U_c ~2 eV a MIT occurs only in the AFM state. Effects of spin-orbit coupling (SOC) on the band structure seem minor as expected for a half-filled $t_{2g}^{3}$ shell, but SOC doubles the critical value U_c necessary to open a gap and also leads to large magnetocrystalline energy differences in spite of normal orbital moments no greater than 0.1$\mu_B$. Our results are consistent with a Slater MIT driven by magnetic order, induced by a combination of structurally-induced band narrowing and moderate Coulomb repulsion, with SOC necessary for a full picture. Strong p-d hybridization reduces the moment, and when bootstrapped by the reduced Hund's rule coupling (proportional to the moment) gives a calculated moment of ~1 $\mu_B$, consistent with the observed moment and only a third of the formal $d^3$ value. We raise and discuss one important question: since this AFM ordering is at q=0 (in the 20 atom cell) where nesting is a moot issue, what is the microscopic driving force for ordering and the accompanying MIT?

Publisher's Note: Continuous metal-insulator transition of the antiferromagnetic perovskiteNaOsO3[Phys. Rev. B80, 161104(R) (2009)

Received 29 October 2009DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.80.169907©2009 American Physical Society

Quantum orbital entanglement: A view from the extended periodic Anderson model

In an attempt to derive the electronic structure of narrow-band systems, we extend the periodic Anderson model by exploiting the Falicov--Kimball--Hubbard interactions. The dynamical mean-field theory is used to obtain the spectral densities and self-energies of the combined model. We show that correlated orbitals become locally entangled due to composite orbital rehybridization. This many-orbital quantum phenomenon is accompanied by a continuous metal-insulator transition away from half-filling. Our results are relevant for the understanding of the role of the multiorbital Kondo screening processes in generating local orbital entanglement in Kondo systems.

Dielectric critical behaviour at a metal–insulator transition under lattice compression

We study dielectric critical behaviour around a continuous metal–insulator transition in crystalline Cesium Iodide induced by changing the lattice parameter. The ab initio calculations of band structure and various quantities related to the dielectric response are performed in the transition region, within the local density approximation of the density functional theory. These calculations allow us to establish the power-law singularities of various quantities on two sides of the transition. The exponents obtained here are mean-field like due to the approximation in which interactions and disorder are treated. The critical behaviour is discussed by applying the scaling principle to the wavevector and frequency dependent dielectric function. We further investigate the effect of dielectric anomalies on optical properties by calculating the reflectance around transition region taking the ionic contribution to the dielectric function also into account. We find that the reflectance as a function of frequency shows very different kind of behaviour on both sides of the metal–insulator transition.

Universal Intermediate Phases and Nanostructures of High-Temperature Superconductors

The phase diagrams of cuprate superconductors are frequently oversimplified and represented by a cartoon in which Tc(x) is parabolic. It is then supposed, at least in many theories, that a single continuous metal–insulator transition occurs near the optimal composition x = xc, where Tc is maximized. In fact, the actual phase diagrams are not parabolic, but are described, even in the simplest case (LSCO), better by a trapezoid, with two phase transitions, not one. Because of strong electron–phonon interactions, the two transitions are broadened and obscured by spinodal immiscibility gaps. Examples of such gaps show how they can be identified and related to the formation of nanodomains and filaments.

Electron transport in heavily doped amorphous SnO 2 near metal–insulator transition

The metal–insulator transition (MIT) in amorphous SiO x thin films driven by heavily doping with native oxygen vacancies has been investigated. We have found that an amorphous semiconductor may be doped during growth process up to the level where continuous MIT occurs. The temperature dependence of the resistivity of the films is defined by the deposition conditions. In metallic samples the resistivity is temperature independent, while in the critical region of the metal–insulator transition (MIT) it obeys the power-law with experimental value of 0.96 for the critical exponent. In the insulating side of the transition electrical conductivity has an exponential temperature dependence. A possible mechanism is proposed to explain the temperature dependence of conductivity in amorphous semiconductors on the insulating side of the MIT.