Role of electron–electron correlations and disorder in the metal-insulator transition of SrTi 1 − x V x O ₃ thin films

SrTi 1 − x V x O 3 (STVO) is a disordered strongly correlated oxide with potential applications in future oxide electronic devices and as a next-generation transparent conducting oxide. STVO exhibits a compositional metal–insulator transition (MIT) that lies at the heart of such applications. However, a solid framework for the MIT in real strongly correlated systems when faced with competing disorder remains in its infancy. We present site-selective x-ray spectroscopies of STVO which we compare with advanced density functional theory plus dynamical mean-field theory calculations. Together, these allow us to separate the effects of strong electron correlation (Mott behaviour) from those of disorder (Anderson localisation), providing a detailed window into the character of the MIT in STVO. We find signatures of both effects in our spectroscopic data, establishing both behaviours as essential ingredients in the collaborative Mott–Anderson transition.