Metal-insulator transition in SrTi1-xVxO3 thin films

摘要

Epitaxial SrTi1-xVxO3 (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) thin films were grown on (001)-oriented (LaAlO3)0.3(Sr2AlTaO6)0.7 (LSAT) substrates using the pulsed electron-beam deposition technique. The transport study revealed a temperature driven metal-insulator transition (MIT) at 95 K for x = 0.67. The films with higher vanadium concentration (x > 0.67) were metallic corresponding to a Fermi liquid system. In the insulating phase (x < 0.67), the resistivity behavior was governed by Mott's variable range hopping mechanism. The possible mechanisms for the induced MIT are discussed, including the effects of electron correlation, lattice distortion, and Anderson localization.