HgTe quantum wells with inverted band structure: Quantum Hall effect and the large-scale impurity potential

Abstract

We report on the longitudinal and Hall resistivities of a HgTe quantum well with inverted energy spectrum (dQW = 20.3 nm) measured in the quantum Hall (QH) regime at magnetic fields up to 9 T and temperatures 2.9-50 K. The temperature dependence of the QH plateau-plateau transition (PPT) widths and of variable range hopping (VRH) conduction on the Hall plateaus are analyzed. The data are presented in a genuine scale form both for PPT regions and for VRH regime. Decisive role of the long-range random potential (the potential of remote ionized impurities) in the localization-delocalization processes in the QH regime for the system under study is revealed. © 2019 Author(s).