Self-consistent study of localization in thin films

Abstract

We present an investigation of the Anderson localization of electronic states due to disorder in films of finite thickness. We first present numerical results that give some evidence for a transition from localized to delocalized states as the thickness of the film is increased, for disorder strengths below the localization threshold in three dimensions. We then examine the situation analytically using an extension of the self-consistent diagrammatic method developed by Vollhardt and Wolfle for noninteracting electrons.