Anderson Molecules

TL;DR

This paper introduces the concept of Anderson molecules, bound states formed through destructive interference caused by disordered interaction potentials, which can be experimentally realized via time-modulated atomic interactions.

Contribution

It demonstrates the theoretical possibility and experimental feasibility of creating Anderson molecules through disordered interaction potentials in atomic systems.

Findings

Anderson localization can lead to exponentially localized bound states.

Disordered interaction potentials can be simulated by time-modulating interaction strength.

Anderson molecules can be realized in laboratory settings.

Abstract

Atoms can form molecules if they attract each other. Here, we show that atoms are also able to form bound states not due to the attractive interaction but because of destructive interference. If the interaction potential changes in a disordered way with a change of the distance between two atoms, Anderson localization can lead to the formation of exponentially localized bound states. While disordered interaction potentials do not exist in nature, we show that they can be created by means of random modulation in time of the strength of the original interaction potential between atoms and objects that we dub Anderson molecules can be realized in the laboratory.