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Direct observation of Anderson localization of matter waves in a controlled disorder

Author

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  • Juliette Billy

    (Laboratoire Charles Fabry de l'Institut d'Optique, CNRS and Univ. Paris-Sud, Campus Polytechnique, RD 128, F-91127 Palaiseau cedex, France)

  • Vincent Josse

    (Laboratoire Charles Fabry de l'Institut d'Optique, CNRS and Univ. Paris-Sud, Campus Polytechnique, RD 128, F-91127 Palaiseau cedex, France)

  • Zhanchun Zuo

    (Laboratoire Charles Fabry de l'Institut d'Optique, CNRS and Univ. Paris-Sud, Campus Polytechnique, RD 128, F-91127 Palaiseau cedex, France)

  • Alain Bernard

    (Laboratoire Charles Fabry de l'Institut d'Optique, CNRS and Univ. Paris-Sud, Campus Polytechnique, RD 128, F-91127 Palaiseau cedex, France)

  • Ben Hambrecht

    (Laboratoire Charles Fabry de l'Institut d'Optique, CNRS and Univ. Paris-Sud, Campus Polytechnique, RD 128, F-91127 Palaiseau cedex, France)

  • Pierre Lugan

    (Laboratoire Charles Fabry de l'Institut d'Optique, CNRS and Univ. Paris-Sud, Campus Polytechnique, RD 128, F-91127 Palaiseau cedex, France)

  • David Clément

    (Laboratoire Charles Fabry de l'Institut d'Optique, CNRS and Univ. Paris-Sud, Campus Polytechnique, RD 128, F-91127 Palaiseau cedex, France)

  • Laurent Sanchez-Palencia

    (Laboratoire Charles Fabry de l'Institut d'Optique, CNRS and Univ. Paris-Sud, Campus Polytechnique, RD 128, F-91127 Palaiseau cedex, France)

  • Philippe Bouyer

    (Laboratoire Charles Fabry de l'Institut d'Optique, CNRS and Univ. Paris-Sud, Campus Polytechnique, RD 128, F-91127 Palaiseau cedex, France)

  • Alain Aspect

    (Laboratoire Charles Fabry de l'Institut d'Optique, CNRS and Univ. Paris-Sud, Campus Polytechnique, RD 128, F-91127 Palaiseau cedex, France)

Abstract

Anderson localization of matter waves: a direct signature Anderson localization (AL) is a phenomenon in wave physics, occurring when interference between multiple scattering paths causes diffusion to cease. Experimentally, localization has been reported for light waves, microwaves, sound waves and electron gases, but there has been no direct observation of AL for matter waves of any type. The paper reports AL in a Bose–Einstein condensate as it expands in a one-dimensional disordered optical potential. The authors image directly the atomic density profiles as a function of time, and find that weak disorder can stop the expansion and lead to the formation of a stationary exponentially localized wave function — a direct signature of AL. The method can be extended to localization of atomic quantum gases in higher dimensions, and with controlled interactions.

Suggested Citation

  • Juliette Billy & Vincent Josse & Zhanchun Zuo & Alain Bernard & Ben Hambrecht & Pierre Lugan & David Clément & Laurent Sanchez-Palencia & Philippe Bouyer & Alain Aspect, 2008. "Direct observation of Anderson localization of matter waves in a controlled disorder," Nature, Nature, vol. 453(7197), pages 891-894, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:453:y:2008:i:7197:d:10.1038_nature07000
    DOI: 10.1038/nature07000
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    Cited by:

    1. Liu, Xiuye & Zeng, Jianhua, 2023. "Matter-wave gap solitons and vortices of dense Bose–Einstein condensates in Moiré optical lattices," Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    2. Carsten Lippe & Tanita Klas & Jana Bender & Patrick Mischke & Thomas Niederprüm & Herwig Ott, 2021. "Experimental realization of a 3D random hopping model," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-7, December.

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