Three-dimensional Anderson localization of ultracold matter

Science. 2011 Oct 7;334(6052):66-8. doi: 10.1126/science.1209019.

Abstract

Anderson localization (AL) is a ubiquitous interference phenomenon in which waves fail to propagate in a disordered medium. We observe three-dimensional AL of noninteracting ultracold matter by allowing a spin-polarized atomic Fermi gas to expand into a disordered potential. A two-component density distribution emerges consisting of an expanding mobile component and a nondiffusing localized component. We extract a mobility edge that increases with the disorder strength, whereas the thermally averaged localization length is shown to decrease with disorder strength and increase with particle energy. These measurements provide a benchmark for more sophisticated theories of AL.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.