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Abstract The localization by a magnetic field of electrons in an inversion layer of silicon has been investigated, with fields both transverse and parallel to the surface being utilized. The parallel field enhances localization but does not alter the minimum metallic conductance. Localization in the zeroth Landau level produced by a normal field has been studied; here the minimum metallic conductance is reduced. It is suggested that the principal cause of localization is the randomness in the surface potential, although the mobility edge can increase as the carrier concentration increases, implying that the field arising from localized electrons can play a role. When electrons are pulled away from the interface, very clear magneto-resistance oscillations are obtained, and the full four-fold splitting of the zeroth Landau level can be resolved. The effect of ‘magnetic delocalization’ is discussed in terms of the range of the potential fluctuations. The characteristics of magnetic localization are more uniform than those of non-magnetic localization, which are dependent on sample preparation techniques.
M. Pepper (Sun,) studied this question.