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The in-plane magnetoconductance of the strongly interacting two-dimensional electron system in a silicon MOSFET (metal-oxide-semiconductor-field-effect transistor) exhibits an unmistakeable kink at a well-defined electron density, $n_k$. The kink at $n_k$ is near, but not at the critical density $n_c$ determined from resistivity measurements, and the density at which $n_k$ occurs varies with temperature. These features are inconsistent with expectations for a quantum phase transition. We suggest instead that this is a percolation transition and present a detailed model based on the formation of a mixed insulating and metallic phase within which a metal-insulator transition takes place by percolation., Comment: 8 pages, 7 figures

Ignited by the discovery of the metal-insulator transition, the behaviour of low-disorder two-dimensional (2D) electron systems is currently the focus of a great deal of attention. In the strongly-interacting limit, electrons are expected to crystallize into a quantum Wigner crystal, but no definitive evidence for this effect has been obtained despite much experimental effort over the years. Here, studying the insulating state of a 2D electron system in silicon, we have found two-threshold voltage-current characteristics with a dramatic increase in noise between the two threshold voltages. This behaviour cannot be described within existing traditional models. On the other hand, it is strikingly similar to that observed for the collective depinning of the vortex lattice in Type-II superconductors. Adapting the model used for vortexes to the case of an electron solid yields good agreement with our experimental results, favouring the quantum electron solid as the origin of the low-density state.

The resistivities of the dilute, strongly-interacting 2D electron systems in the insulating phase of a silicon MOSFET are the same for unpolarized electrons in the absence of magnetic field and for electrons that are fully spin polarized by the presence of an in-plane magnetic field. In both cases the resistivity obeys Efros-Shklovskii variable range hopping $\rho(T) = \rho_0 \mbox{exp}[(T_{ES}/T)^{1/2}]$, with $T_{ES}$ and $1/\rho_0$ mapping onto each other if one applies a shift of the critical density $n_c$ reported earlier. With and withoug magnetic field, the parameters $T_{ES}$ and $1/\rho_0 = \sigma_0$ exhibit scaling consistent with critical behavior approaching a metal-insulator transition., Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures

The reversal of spins in a magnetic material as they relax toward equilibrium is accompanied by the release of Zeeman energy which can lead to accelerated spin relaxation and the formation of a well-defined self-sustained propagating spin-reversal front known as magnetic deflagration. To date, studies of Mn$_{12}$-acetate single crystals have focused mainly on deflagration in large longitudinal magnetic fields and found a fully spin-reversed final state. We report a systematic study of the effect of transverse magnetic field on magnetic deflagration and demonstrate that in small longitudinal fields the final state consists of only partially reversed spins. Further, we measured the front speed as a function of applied magnetic field. The theory of magnetic deflagration, together with a modification that takes into account the partial spin reversal, fits the transverse field dependence of the front speed but not its dependence on longitudinal field. The most significant result of this study is the finding of a partially spin-reversed final state, which is evidence that the spins at the deflagration front are also only partially reversed., Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures

We review our studies of the effect of transverse fields on the susceptibility and magnetization of single crystals of the prototype single molecule magnet (SMM), Mn$_{12}$-acetate, and of a new high-symmetry variant, Mn$_{12}$-acetate-MeOH. SMM single crystals can exhibit long range ferromagnetic order associated with intermolecular dipole interactions. Transverse fields increase quantum spin fluctuation and quantum tunneling of the magnetization suppressing long range order. However, we have found that suppression of the Curie temperature by a transverse field in Mn$_{12}$-acetate is far more rapid than predicted by the Transverse-Field Ising Ferromagnetic Model (TFIFM). It appears that solvent disorder in Mn$_{12}$-acetate that results in an intrinsic distribution of small discrete tilts of the molecular magnetic easy axis from the global easy axis of the crystal ($\approx \pm 1^\circ$) gives rise to a distribution of random-fields that further suppresses long-range order. Semiquantitative agreement with the predictions of a Random-Field Ising Ferromagnet Model is found. Subsequent susceptibility studies we have conducted of the high symmetry Mn$_{12}$ variant, Mn$_{12}$-acetate-MeOH, with the same spin structure and similar lattice constants but without the same solvent disorder as Mn$_{12}$-acetate, agrees with the TFIFM. An important implication of our studies is that long-range order in these two chemically very similar SMMs are described by distinct physical models., Comment: arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1202.4963

The energy released in a magnetic material by reversing spins as they relax toward equilibrium can lead to a dynamical instability that ignites self-sustained rapid relaxation along a deflagration front that propagates at a constant subsonic speed. Using a trigger heat pulse and transverse and longitudinal magnetic fields, we investigate and control the crossover between thermally driven magnetic relaxation and magnetic deflagration in single crystals of Mn$_{12}$-acetate., Comment: 5 pages and 4 figures

We report measurements of the magnetic susceptibility of single crystals of Mn$_{12}$-acetate-MeOH, a new high-symmetry variant of the original single molecule magnet Mn$_{12}$-acetate. A comparison of these data to theory and to data for the Mn$_{12}$ acetate material shows that Mn$_{12}$-acetate-MeOH is a realization of a transverse-field Ising ferromagnet in contrast to the original Mn$_{12}$ acetate material, in which solvent disorder leads to effects attributed to random field Ising ferromagnetism., Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures

With decreasing density $n_s$ the thermopower $S$ of a low-disorder 2D electron system in silicon is found to exhibit a sharp increase by more than an order of magnitude, tending to a divergence at a finite, disorder-independent density $n_t$ consistent with the critical form $(-T/S) \propto (n_s-n_t)^x$ with $x=1.0\pm 0.1$ ($T$ is the temperature). Our results provide clear evidence for an interaction-induced transition to a new phase at low density in a strongly-interacting 2D electron system., Comment: Published version - 5 pages, 3 figures

We report measurements of the susceptibility in the temperature range from $3.5$ K to $6.0$ K of a series of Mn$_{12}$-ac and Mn$_{12}$-ac-MeOH samples in the shape of rectangular prisms of length $l_c$ and square cross-section of side $l_a$. The susceptibility obeys a Curie-Weiss Law, $\chi=C/(T-\theta)$, where $\theta$ varies systematically with sample aspect ratio. Using published demagnetization factors, we obtain $\theta$ for an infinitely long sample corresponding to intrinsic ordering temperatures $T_c \approx 0.85$ K and $\approx 0.74$ K for Mn$_{12}$-ac and Mn$_{12}$-ac-MeOH, respectively. The difference in $T_c$ for two materials that have nearly identical unit cell volumes and lattice constant ratios suggests that, in addition to dipolar interactions, there is a non-dipolar (exchange) contribution to the Weiss temperature that differs in the two materials because of the difference in ligand molecules., Comment: 4.5 pages

The discovery of a metallic state and a metal-insulator transition (MIT) in two-dimensional (2D) electron systems challenges one of the most influential paradigms of modern mesoscopic physics, namely, that "there is no true metallic behavior in two dimensions". However, this conclusion was drawn for systems of noninteracting or weakly interacting carriers, while in all 2D systems exhibiting the metal-insulator transition, the interaction energy greatly exceeds all other energy scales. We review the main experimental findings and show that, although significant progress has been achieved in our understanding of the MIT in 2D, many open questions remain., Comment: Review article for "50 Years of Anderson Localization". A paragraph briefly describing a theory, based on the Pomeranchuk effect, has been added.

The magnetization of the prototypical molecular magnet Mn12-acetate exhibits a series of sharp steps at low temperatures due to quantum tunneling at specific resonant values of magnetic field applied along the easy c-axis. An abrupt reversal of the magnetic moment of such a crystal can also occur as an avalanche, where the spin reversal proceeds along a "deflagration" front that travels through the sample at subsonic speed. In this article we review experimental results that have been obtained for the ignition temperature and the speed of propagation of magnetic avalanches in molecular nanomagnets. Fits of the data with the theory of magnetic deflagration yield overall qualitative agreement. However, numerical discrepancies indicate that our understanding of these avalanches is incomplete., Comment: Review article for "Perspectives of Mesoscopic Physics - Dedicated to Prof Yoseph Imry's 70th Birthday"

A theoretical model for the $Mn_{12}$ acetates is derived including a 'random field' effect arising from isomer effects in some families of host acetate materials. Estimates for the important energy scales are given. Phase boundaries are determined using a mean field approximation. Predictions for experiment are presented

The longitudinal magnetic susceptibility of single crystals of the molecular magnet Mn$_{12}$-acetate obeys a Curie-Weiss law, indicating a transition to a ferromagnetic phase due to dipolar interactions. With increasing magnetic field applied transverse to the easy axis, the transition temperature decreases considerably more rapidly than predicted by mean field theory to a T=0 quantum critical point. Our results are consistent with an effective Hamiltonian for a random-field Ising ferromagnet in a transverse field, where the randomness is induced by an external field applied to Mn$_{12}$-acetate crystals that are known to have an intrinsic distribution of locally tilted magnetic easy axes., Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures

Using micron-sized thermometers and Hall bars, we report time-resolved studies of the local temperature and local magnetization for two types of magnetic avalanches (abrupt spin reversals) in the molecular magneti Mn12-acetate, corresponding to avalanches of the main slow-relaxing crystalline form and avalanches of the fast-relaxing minor species that exists in all as-grown crystals of this material. An experimental protocol is used that allows the study of each type of avalanche without triggering avalanches in the other, and of both types of avalanches simultaneously. In samples prepared magnetically to enable both types of avalanches, minor species avalanches are found to act as a catalyst for the major species avalanches. magnetically to enable both types of avalanches, minor species avalanches are found to act as a catalyst for the major species avalanches., Comment: submitted to PRB

Using micron-sized Hall sensor arrays to obtain time-resolved measurements of the local magnetization, we report a systematic study in the molecular magnet Mn$_{12}$-acetate of magnetic avalanches controllably triggered in different fixed external magnetic fields and for different values of the initial magnetization. The speeds of propagation of the spin-reversal fronts are in good overall agreement with the theory of magnetic deflagration of Garanin and Chudnovsky \cite{Garanin}., Comment: 8 pages, 7 figures; discussion expanded and revised

Crystals of the molecular magnet Mn12-acetate are known to contain a small fraction of low- symmetry (minor) species with a small anisotropy barrier against spin reversal. The lower barrier leads to faster magnetic relaxation and lower coercive field. We exploit the low coercive fields of the minor species to make a direct determination of the dipole field in Mn12-ac. We find that the dipolar field of a fully magnetized crystal is 51.5 \pm 8.5 mT, consistent with theoretical expectations., Comment: 3 pages, 3 figures

The non-linear zero-differential resistance state (ZDRS) that occurs for highly mobile two-dimensional electron systems in response to a dc bias in the presence of a strong magnetic field applied perpendicular to the electron plane is suppressed and disappears gradually as the magnetic field is tilted away from the perpendicular at fixed filling factor $\nu$. Good agreement is found with a model that considers the effect of the Zeeman splitting of Landau levels enhanced by the in-plane component of the magnetic field., Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures

We report measurements of the rectification of microwave radiation (0.7-20 GHz) at the boundary between two-dimensional electron systems separated by a narrow gap on a silicon surface for different temperatures, electron densities and microwave power. For frequencies above 4 GHz and different temperatures, the rectified voltage V_{dc} as a function of microwave power P can be scaled onto a single universal curve V*_{dc}=f*(P*). The scaled voltage is a linear function of power, V*_{dc} ~ P* for small power and proportional to P*^{1/2} at higher power. A theory is proposed that attributes the rectification to the thermoelectric response due to strong local overheating by the microwave radiation at the boundary between two dissimilar 2D metals. Excellent agreement is obtained between theory and experiment., Comment: 8 pages, 8 figures

Using a wire heater to ignite magnetic avalanches in fixed magnetic field applied along the easy axis of single crystals of the molecular magnet Mn$_{12}$-acetate, we report fast local measurements of the temperature and time-resolved measurements of the local magnetization as a function of magnetic field. In addition to confirming maxima in the velocity of propagation, we find that avalanches trigger at a threshold temperature which exhibits pronounced minima at resonant magnetic fields, demonstrating that thermally assisted quantum tunneling plays an important role in the ignition as well as the propagation of magnetic avalanches in molecular magnets., Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures; modified claims

Using time-resolved measurements of local magnetization in the molecular magnet Mn12-ac, we report studies of the propagation of magnetic avalanches (fast magnetization reversals) that originate from points inside the crystals rather than at the edges. The curved nature of the fronts produced by avalanches is reflected in the time-of-arrival at micro-Hall sensors placed at the surface of the sample. Assuming that the avalanche interface is a spherical bubble that grows with a radius proportional to time, we are able to locate the approximate ignition point of each avalanche in a two-dimensional cross-section of the crystal. For the samples used in these studies, avalanches in a given crystal are found to originate in a small region with a radius of roughly 150 microns., Comment: 3 pages, 4 figures

Local time-resolved measurements of fast reversal of the magnetization of single crystals of Mn12-acetate indicate that the magnetization avalanche spreads as a narrow interface that propagates through the crystal at a constant velocity that is roughly two orders of magnitude smaller than the speed of sound. We argue that this phenomenon is closely analogous to the propagation of a flame front (deflagration) through a flammable chemical substance., Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures

The spatial profile of the magnetization of Mn12 crystals in a swept magnetic field applied along the easy axis is determined from measurements of the local magnetic induction along the sample surface using an array of Hall sensors. We find that the magnetization is not uniform inside the sample, but rather shows some spatial oscillations which become more prominent around the resonance field values. Moreover, it appears that different regions of the sample are at resonance at different values of the applied field and that the sweep rate of the internal magnetic induction is spatially non-uniform. We present a model which describes the evolution of the non-uniformities as a function of the applied field. Finally we show that the degree of non-uniformity can be manipulated by sweeping the magnetic field back and forth through part of the resonance., Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures; A typo was corrected in Eq. (8)

A detailed comparison is presented of the temperature dependence of the conductivity of dilute, strongly interacting electrons in two-dimensional silicon inversion layers in the metallic regime in the presence and in the absence of a magnetic field. We show explicitly and quantitatively that a magnetic field applied parallel to the plane of the electrons reduces the slope of the conductivity versus temperature curves to near zero over a broad range of electron densities extending from $n_c$ to deep in the metallic regime where the high field conductivity is on the order of $10 e^2/h$. The strong suppression (or "quenching") of the metallic behavior by a magnetic field sets an important constraint on theory., Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures

The normalized in-plane magnetoconductivity of the dilute strongly interacting system of electrons in silicon MOSFET's scales with $B/T$ for low densities in the insulating phase. Pronounced deviations occur at higher metallic-like densities, where a new energy scale $k_B \Delta$ emerges which is not associated with either magnetic field or thermal effects. $B/T$ scaling of the magnetoconductivity breaks down at the density $n_0$ where the energy scale $k_B \Delta$ vanishes, near or at the critical density $n_c$ for the apparent metal-insulator transition. The different behavior of the magnetoconductivity at low and high densities suggests the existence of two distinct phases., Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures

The interplay between strong Coulomb interactions and randomness has been a long-standing problem in condensed matter physics. According to the scaling theory of localization, in two-dimensional systems of noninteracting or weakly interacting electrons, the ever-present randomness causes the resistance to rise as the temperature is decreased, leading to an insulating ground state. However, new evidence has emerged within the past decade indicating a transition from insulating to metallic phase in two-dimensional systems of strongly interacting electrons. We review earlier experiments that demonstrate the unexpected presence of a metallic phase in two dimensions, and present an overview of recent experiments with emphasis on the anomalous magnetic properties that have been observed in the vicinity of the transition., Comment: As published

In magnetic fields applied parallel to the anisotropy axis, the magnetization of Mn$_{12}$ has been measured in response to a field that is swept back and forth across the resonances corresponding to steps $N=4,5,...9$. The fraction of molecules remaining in the metastable well after each sweep through the resonance is inconsistent with expectations for an ensemble of identical molecules. The data are consistent instead with the presence of a broad distribution of tunnel splittings. A very good fit is obtained for a Gaussian distribution of the second-order anisotropy tunneling parameter $X_E=-\ln(\mid E\mid/2D)$. We show that dipolar shuffling is a negligible effect which cannot explain our data., Comment: minor corrections (PACS nos, signs in Fig. 2)

For the two-dimensional electron system in silicon MOSFET's, the scaled magnetoconductivity has been shown to exhibit critical behavior at finite density $n_0$. Analysis of these magnetotransport experiments yields a product $g^*m^*$ that diverges at this density (here $g^*$ is the interaction-enhanced Land\'e $g$-factor and $m^*$ is the effective mass). This claim has been disputed based on direct determinations of the $g^*m^*$ obtained from Shubnikov-de Haas measurements. We briefly review these experiments, and possible sources of the discrepancies., Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures; conference proceedings: "Quantum Transport and Quantum Coherence" -- Localisation 2002 Sophia University, Tokyo, August 16-19, 2002, to be published in a supplement of the Journal of Physical Society of Japan

For densities above $n=1.6 \times 10^{11}$ cm$^{-2}$ in the strongly interacting system of electrons in two-dimensional silicon inversion layers, excellent agreement between experiment and the theory of Zala, Narozhny and Aleiner is obtained for the response of the conductivity to a magnetic field applied parallel to the plane of the electrons. However, the Fermi liquid parameter $F_0^\sigma(n)$ and the valley splitting $\Delta_V(n)$ obtained from fits to the magnetoconductivity, although providing qualitatively correct behavior (including sign), do not yield quantitative agreement with the temperature dependence of the conductivity in zero magnetic field. Our results suggest the existence of additional scattering processes not included in the theory in its present form.

In high-mobility silicon MOSFET's, the $g^*m^*$ inferred indirectly from magnetoconductance and magnetoresistance measurements with the assumption that $g^*\mu_BH_s=2E_F$ are in surprisingly good agreement with $g^*m^*$ obtained by direct measurement of Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations. The enhanced susceptibility $\chi^* \propto (g^*m^*)$ exhibits critical behavior of the form $\chi^* \propto (n - n_0)^{-\alpha}$. We examine the significance of the field scale $H_s$ derived from transport measurements, and show that this field signals the onset of full spin polarization only in the absence of disorder. Our results suggest that disorder becomes increasingly important as the electron density is reduced toward the transition., Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures

Rectification of microwave radiation (20-40 GHz) by a line boundary between two two-dimensional metals on a silicon surface was observed and investigated at different temperatures, in-plane magnetic fields and microwave powers. The rectified voltage $V_{dc}$ is generated whenever the electron densities $n_{1,2}$ of the two metals are different, changing polarity at $n_1 \approx n_2$. Very strong nonlinear response is found when one of the two 2D metals is close to the electron density corresponding to the reported magnetic instability in this system., Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures

For insulating Si:B with dopant concentrations from 0.75 n_c to the critical concentration n_c, the conductivity ranging over five orders of magnitude collapses using a single scaling parameter T* onto a universal curve of the form $\sigma (T) =\sigma_0 f (T^*/T)$ with a temperature-independent prefactor of the order of Mott's minimum metallic conductivity. The function $f (T^*/T) = e^{-(T^*/T)^{\beta}}$ with \beta = 1/2 when T^*/T>10, corresponding to Efros-Shklovskii variable-range hopping. For T^*/T < 8 the exponent \beta = 1/3, a value expected for Mott variable-range hopping in two rather than three dimensions. The temperature-independent prefactor implies hopping that is not mediated by phonons., Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures

We report Hall sensor measurements of the magnetic relaxation of Mn$_{12}$-acetate as a function of magnetic field applied along the easy axis of magnetization for a series of closely-spaced temperatures between 0.24 K and 1.9 K. We map out a region in the $H-T$ plane where ground state tunneling is observed, a region where tunneling proceeds via thermally-assisted tunneling, and a crossover region where both participate in the relaxation. We observe the occasional absence of ground-state tunneling under conditions where one would expect it to be present, and suggest a resolution to the enigma., Comment: 5 pages including 4 figures. Minor revisions to clarify explanations

In magnetic fields applied parallel to the anisotropy axis, the relaxation of the magnetization of Mn$_{12}$ measured for different sweep rates is shown to collapse onto a single scaled curve. The form of the scaling implies that the dominant symmetry-breaking process that gives rise to tunneling is a locally varying second-order anisotropy, forbidden by tetragonal symmetry in the perfect crystal, which gives rise to a broad distribution of tunnel splittings in a real crystal of Mn$_{12}$-acetate. Different forms applied to even and odd-numbered steps provide a distinction between even step resonances (associated with crystal anisotropy) and odd resonances (which require a transverse component of magnetic field)., Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures. New title; text more clearly written

For five different electron and hole systems in two dimensions (Si MOSFET's, p-GaAs, p-SiGe, n-GaAs and n-AlAs), the critical density, $n_c$ that marks the onset of strong localization is shown to be a single power-law function of the scattering rate $1/\tau$ deduced from the maximum mobility. The resulting curve defines the boundary separating a localized phase from a phase that exhibits metallic behavior. The critical density $n_c \to 0$ in the limit of infinite mobility., Comment: 2 pages, 1 figure

Recent experiments in the two dimensional electron systems in silicon MOSFETs have shown that the in-plane magnetic field $H_{sat}$ required to saturate the conductivity to its high-field value and the magnetic field $H_s$ needed to completely align the spins of the electrons are comparable. By small-angle Shubnikov-de Haas oscillation measurements that allow separate determinations of the spin-up and spin-down subband populations, we show that $H_{sat}=H_s$ to an accuracy of 5% for electron densities $n_s > 3 \times 10^{11}$ cm$^{-2}$., Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures; minor changes, references updated and added

We report Hall sensor measurements of the magnetic relaxation of Mn$_{12}$ acetate as a function of magnetic field applied along the easy axis of magnetization. Data taken at a series of closely-spaced temperatures between 0.24 K and 1.4 K provide strong new evidence for an abrupt ``first-order'' transition between thermally-assisted relaxation and magnetic decay via quantum tunneling., Comment: 4 pages, including 7 figures

For a broad range of electron densities $n$ and temperatures $T$, the in-plane magnetoconductivity of the two-dimensional system of electrons in silicon MOSFET's can be scaled onto a universal curve with a single parameter $H_{\sigma}(n,T)$, where $H_{\sigma}$ obeys the empirical relation $H_{\sigma}=A (n) [\Delta(n)^2 +T^2]^{1/2}$. The characteristic energy $k_B \Delta$ associated with the magnetic field dependence of the conductivity decreases with decreasing density, and extrapolates to 0 at a critical density $n_0$, signaling the approach to a zero-temperature quantum phase transition. We show that $H_{\sigma}=AT$ for densities near $n_0$., Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures; improved data analysis, paper extensively revised

Measurements in magnetic fields applied at a small angle with respect to the 2D plane of the electrons of a low-density silicon MOSFET indicate that the Hall coefficient is independent of parallel field from H=0 to $H>H_{sat}$, the field above which the longitudinal resistance saturates and the electrons have reached full spin-polarization. This implies that the mobilities of the spin-up and spin-down electrons remain comparable at all magnetic fields, and suggests there is strong mixing of spin-up and spin-down electron states., Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures

We report measurements of the resistance of silicon MOSFETs as a function of temperature in high parallel magnetic fields where the 2D system of electrons has been shown to be fully spin-polarized. A magnetic field suppresses the metallic behavior observed in the absence of a magnetic field. In a field of 10.8 T, insulating behavior is found for densities up to n_s approximately 1.35 x 10^{11} cm^{-2} or 1.5 n_c; above this density the resistance is a very weak function of temperature, varying less than 10% between 0.25 K and 1.90 K. At low densities the resistance goes to infinity more rapidly as the temperature is reduced than in zero field and the magnetoresistance diverges as T goes to 0., Comment: 4 pages, including 4 figures. References added

We report point by point measurements below the blocking temperature of the magnetic relaxation of Mn$_{12}$-acetate as a function of magnetic field applied along the easy axis of magnetization. Unexpectedly complex structure is observed which we attribute to the effect of higher-order terms of the spin Hamiltonianon on the tunneling process., Comment: 4 pages. Revised version includes new references and acknowledgments

For about twenty years, it has been the prevailing view that there can be no metallic state or metal-insulator transition in two dimensions in zero magnetic field. In the last several years, however, unusual behavior suggestive of such a transition has been reported in a variety of dilute two-dimensional electron and hole systems. The physics behind these observations is presently not understood. We review and discuss the main experimental findings and suggested theoretical models., Comment: To be published in Rev. Mod. Phys

Measurements in magnetic fields applied at small angles relative to the electron plane in silicon MOSFETs indicate a factor of two increase of the frequency of Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations at H>H_{sat}. This signals the onset of full spin polarization above H_{sat}, the parallel field above which the resistivity saturates to a constant value. For H

Precise magnetic hysteresis measurements of small single crystals of Mn$_{12}$ acetate of spin 10 have been conducted down to 0.4 K using a high sensitivity Hall magnetometer. At higher temperature (>1.6K) step-like changes in magnetization are observed at regularly spaced magnetic field intervals, as previously reported. However, on lowering the temperature the steps in magnetization shift to higher magnetic fields, initially gradually. These results are consistent with the presence of a second order uniaxial magnetic anisotropy, first observed by EPR spectroscopy, and thermally assisted tunnelling with tunnelling relaxation occurring from levels of progressively lower energy as the temperature is reduced. At lower temperature an abrupt shift in step positions is found. We suggest that this shift may be the first evidence of an abrupt, or first-order, transition between thermally assisted and pure quantum tunnelling, suggested by recent theory., Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Europhys. Lett

This paper has been withdrawn by the authors. Measurements at many different angles spanning a broad range of electron densities indicate that the observed doubling of the period of Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations, which we had attributed to a transition to a new spin-ordered phase, is also consistent with an alternative explanation. A full interpretation of our data will be posted at a later date., Comment: This paper has been withdrawn. Measurements at different angles spanning a broad range of electron densities indicate that the doubling of the period of SdH oscillations, which we had attributed to a transition to a new spin-ordered phase, is also consistent with an alternative explanation. A full paper will be posted at a later date

We review recent experiments that provide evidence for a transition to a conducting phase in two dimensions at very low electron densities. The nature of this phase is not understood, and is currently the focus of intense theoretical and experimental attention., Comment: To appear as a Perspective in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Reference to Chakravarty, Kivelson, Nayak, and Voelker's paper added (Phil. Mag., in press)

The response to a parallel magnetic field of the very dilute insulating two-dimensional system of electrons in silicon MOSFET's is dramatic and similar to that found on the conducting side of the metal-insulator transition: there is a large initial increase in resistivity with increasing field, followed by saturation to a value that is approximately constant above a characteristic magnetic field of about one Tesla. This is unexpected behavior in an insulator that exhibits Efros-Shklovskii variable-range hopping in zero field, and appears to be a general feature of very dilute electron systems., Comment: References added and updated. To be published in Phys. Rev. B

In a recent Letter, Altshuler and Maslov propose a model which attributes the anomalous temperature and field dependence of the resistivity of two-dimensional electron (or hole) systems to the charging and discharging of traps in the oxide (spacer), rather than to intrinsic behavior of interacting particles associated with a conductor-insulator transition in two dimensions. We argue against this model based on existing experimental evidence., Comment: 1 page; submitted to PRL

In the dilute two-dimensional electron system in silicon, we show that the temperature below which Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations become apparent is approximately the same as the temperature below which an exponential decrease in resistance is seen in B=0, suggesting that the anomalous behavior in zero field is observed only when the system is in a degenerate (quantum) state. The temperature dependence of the resistance is found to be qualitatively similar in B=0 and at integer Landau level filling factors., Comment: 3 pages, 3 figures

In a recent preprint cond-mat/9812216, Das Sarma and Hwang propose an explanation of the sharp decrease in resistivity at low temperatures which has been attributed to a transition to an unexpected conducting phase in dilute high-mobility two-dimensional systems at B=0. In this Comment, we examine whether their model is supported by the available experimental data., Comment: 1 page, LaTeX file

The low-temperature dc conductivities of barely metallic samples of p-type Si:B are compared for a series of samples with different dopant concentrations, n, in the absence of stress (cubic symmetry), and for a single sample driven from the metallic into the insulating phase by uniaxial compression, S. For all values of temperature and stress, the conductivity of the stressed sample collapses onto a single universal scaling curve. The scaling fit indicates that the conductivity of si:B is proportional to the square-root of T in the critical range. Our data yield a critical conductivity exponent of 1.6, considerably larger than the value reported in earlier experiments where the transition was crossed by varying the dopant concentration. The larger exponent is based on data in a narrow range of stress near the critical value within which scaling holds. We show explicitly that the temperature dependences of the conductivity of stressed and unstressed Si:B are different, suggesting that a direct comparison of the critical behavior and critical exponents for stress- tuned and concentration-tuned transitions may not be warranted.