Thickness dependence of metal–insulator transition in SrMoO3 thin films

We have investigated the thickness-dependent transport properties of SrMoO3 thin films deposited on LaAlO3 substrates. Metal–insulator transitions (MITs) were observed in SrMoO3 thin films with thickness below 10 nm. The low-temperature resistivity of these films can be explained by quantum corrections of the conductivity. An insulating behavior is observed when the thickness becomes 3.5 nm, and the resistivity can be described by the variable range hopping model with 2D fitting. The magneto-transport measurement of an SrMoO3 thin film with small positive magnetoresistance confirms that the driving force behind MIT is the renormalized electron–electron interaction.