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Phase diagram of Coulomb interactions across the metal-insulator transition in Si:B

Lee, Mark L.

Measurements of the single-particle density of states (DOS) near T=0 ?K in Si:B are used to construct an energy-density phase diagram of Coulomb interactions across the critical density n{sub c} of the metal-insulator transition. Insulators and metals are found to be distinguishable only below a phase boundary (|n/n{sub c}-1|) determined by the Coulomb energy. Above ? is a mixed state where metals and insulators equidistant from n{sub c} cannot be distinguished from their DOS structure. The data imply a diverging screening radius at n{sub c}, which may signal an interaction-driven thermodynamic state change.