Does $m^*g^*$ diverge at a finite electron density in silicon inversion layers?

Abstract

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 Landé $g$-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.