Experimental Observation of Two-Dimensional Anderson Localization with the Atomic Kicked Rotor

TL;DR

This paper experimentally demonstrates two-dimensional Anderson localization using a quasiperiodic atomic kicked rotor, confirming theoretical predictions about localization length dependence on disorder and anisotropy.

Contribution

First experimental observation of 2D Anderson localization with atomic kicked rotor, validating self-consistent theory predictions.

Findings

Localized wavefunction dynamics observed in 2D system

Localization length depends exponentially on disorder strength and anisotropy

Results agree quantitatively with theoretical predictions

Abstract

Dimension 2 is expected to be the lower critical dimension for Anderson localization in a time reversal-invariant disordered quantum system. Using an atomic quasiperiodic kicked rotor -- equivalent to a two-dimensional Anderson-like model -- we experimentally study Anderson localization in dimension 2 and we observe localized wavefunction dynamics. We also show that the localization length depends exponentially on the disorder strength and anisotropy and is in quantitative agreement with the predictions of the self-consistent theory for the 2D Anderson localization.