  Controlling quantum critical phenomena in strongly correlated electron
systems, which emerge in the neighborhood of a quantum phase transition, is a
major challenge in modern condensed matter physics. Quantum critical phenomena
are generated from the delicate balance between long-range order and its
quantum fluctuation. So far, the nature of quantum phase transitions has been
investigated by changing a limited number of external parameters such as
pressure and magnetic field. We propose a new approach for investigating
quantum criticality by changing the strength of quantum fluctuation that is
controlled by the dimensional crossover in metallic quantum well (QW)
structures of strongly correlated oxides. With reducing layer thickness to the
critical thickness of metal-insulator transition, crossover from a Fermi liquid
to a non-Fermi liquid has clearly been observed in the metallic QW of SrVO$_3$
by \textit{in situ} angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. Non-Fermi liquid
behavior with the critical exponent ${\alpha} = 1$ is found to emerge in the
two-dimensional limit of the metallic QW states, indicating that a quantum
critical point exists in the neighborhood of the thickness-dependent Mott
transition. These results suggest that artificial QW structures provide a
unique platform for investigating novel quantum phenomena in strongly
correlated oxides in a controllable fashion.
