Quantum Coherence and the Kondo Effect in the 2D Electron Gas of Magnetically Undoped AlGaN/GaN High-Electron-Mobility Transistor Heterostructures

The unusual observation of the Kondo effect in the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) of magnetically undoped AlGaN/GaN heterostructures is reported. The temperature-dependent zero-field resistivity data exhibits an upturn below 120 K, while the standard low-temperature weak localization and then weak antilocalization behaviour is revealed at T → 0. Magnetic transport investigations of the system are performed in the temperature range of 0.1–300 K and at magnetic fields up to 8 T, applied perpendicularly to the 2DEG plane. The experimental data are analyzed in terms of the multichannel Kondo model for d0 magnetic materials and weak localization theory taking into account the spin-orbit interaction.