Broken symmetries and localization lengths in Anderson insulators: Theory and experiment

Jean-Louis Pichard, Marc Sanquer, Keith Slevin, and Philippe Debray
Phys. Rev. Lett. 65, 1812 – Published 1 October 1990
PDFExport Citation

Abstract

Extending a random-matrix theory developed earlier, we show that breaking a basic symmetry in an Anderson insulator (e.g., time-reversal symmetry or spin-rotation symmetry) generically yields a multiplication of the localization length ξ by universal factors. Numerical calculations and magnetoconductance measurements in the Mott variable-range-hopping regime confirm that the removal of time-reversal symmetry by a magnetic field yields ξ→2ξ in the absence of spin-orbit scattering, and ξ→ξ/2 in the presence of spin-orbit coupling.

  • Received 29 May 1990

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.65.1812

©1990 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Jean-Louis Pichard, Marc Sanquer, Keith Slevin, and Philippe Debray

  • Service de Physique du Solide et de Résonance Magnétique, Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique–Saclay, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette CEDEX, France

References (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand
Issue

Vol. 65, Iss. 14 — 1 October 1990

Reuse & Permissions
Access Options
Author publication services for translation and copyediting assistance advertisement

Authorization Required


×
×

Images

×

Sign up to receive regular email alerts from Physical Review Letters

Log In

Cancel
×

Search


Article Lookup

Paste a citation or DOI

Enter a citation
×