Localization of Matter Waves in 2D-Disordered Optical Potentials

TL;DR

This paper investigates how ultracold atoms behave in two-dimensional disordered optical potentials, focusing on quantum transport, diffusion, and localization effects, and provides theoretical predictions relevant for current experiments.

Contribution

It derives the diffusion constant and localization length for matter waves in 2D disordered potentials, highlighting the accessibility of strong localization regimes.

Findings

Coherent multiple scattering causes weak localization effects.

The diffusion constant depends on microscopic parameters.

Strong localization regimes are experimentally accessible.

Abstract

We consider ultracold atoms in 2D-disordered optical potentials and calculate microscopic quantities characterizing matter wave quantum transport in the non-interacting regime. We derive the diffusion constant as function of all relevant microscopic parameters and show that coherent multiple scattering induces significant weak localization effects. In particular, we find that even the strong localization regime is accessible with current experimental techniques and calculate the corresponding localization length.