Mobility edge phenomenon in a Hubbard chain: A mean field study

•Mobility edge phenomenon has been analyzed in a 1D superlattice geometry.•The results have been evaluated within a Hartree–Fock mean field level.•The sensitivity of MI transition on the electric field variation has been discussed.•The model quantum system can be used as a tailor made switching device.

We show that a tight-binding one-dimensional chain composed of interacting and non-interacting atomic sites can exhibit multiple mobility edges at different values of carrier energy in presence of external electric field. Within a mean field Hartree–Fock approximation we numerically calculate two-terminal transport by using Greenʼs function formalism. Several cases are analyzed depending on the arrangements of interacting and non-interacting atoms in the chain. The analysis may be helpful in designing mesoscale switching devices.