  We report strong localization of 2D electron gas in LaAlO3 / SrTiO3 epitaxial
thin-film heterostructures grown on (LaAlO3)0.3-(Sr2AlTaO3)0.7 substrates by
using pulsed laser deposition with in-situ reflection high-energy electron
diffraction. Using longitudinal and transverse magnetotransport measurements,
we have determined that disorder at the interface influences the conduction
behavior, and that increasing the carrier concentration by growing at lower
oxygen partial pressure changes the conduction from strongly localized at low
carrier concentration to metallic at higher carrier concentration, with
indications of weak localization. We interpret this behavior in terms of a
changing occupation of Ti 3d bands near the interface, each with a different
spatial extent and susceptibility to localization by disorder, and differences
in carrier confinement due to misfit strain and point defects.
