Onset of glassy dynamics in a two-dimensional electron system in silicon.
The fluctuations of conductivity sigma with time have been studied in a two-dimensional electron system in low-mobility Si inversion layers. The noise power spectrum is approximately 1/f(alpha) with alpha exhibiting a sharp jump at an electron density n(s) = n(g). A huge increase in the relative variance of sigma is observed as n(s) is reduced below n(g), reflecting a dramatic slowing down of the electron dynamics. This is attributed to the freezing of the electron glass. The data strongly suggest that glassy dynamics persists in the metallic phase.
Bogdanovich
Snezana
S
National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32310, USA.
Popović
Dragana
D