Studies of the metal-insulator transition of misfit-layer compounds La1.17-xSrVS3.17

Transport, magnetic and thermal properties of La1.17-xSrxVS3.17, have been studied. The compound is pointed out to be in the Molt insulating state around x = 0.17, where localized spins undergo a transition caused by the singlet formation with the aid of a certain type of lattice distortion, Both electron-type (x < 0.17) and hole-type (x > 0.17) carriers can be doped into the Molt insulating phase, and an essentially metallic state is realized for x greater than or similar to 0.30. The anomalous behavior of R(H) and S observed in the carrier-doped phase is very similar to that of high-T-c oxides, indicating that the existence of these anomalous behaviors is common to 2D Mott systems, The electronic specific heat coefficient gamma decreases as the system approaches the metal-insulator phase boundary, which also seems to be similar to the case of high-T-c oxides.