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  • Letter
  • Open Access

Momentum-space signatures of the Anderson transition in a symplectic, two-dimensional, disordered ultracold gas

Ehsan Arabahmadi1, Daniel Schumayer1,*, Benoît Grémaud2,3,4, Christian Miniatura3,4,5,6,7, and David A. W. Hutchinson1,4

  • 1Dodd-Walls Centre for Photonic and Quantum Technologies, Department of Physics, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
  • 2Aix Marseille Université, Université de Toulon, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, CPT, Marseille, France
  • 3MajuLab, CNRS-UCA-SU-NUS-NTU International Joint Research Unit, Singapore
  • 4Centre for Quantum Technologies, National University of Singapore, Singapore
  • 5Department of Physics, National University of Singapore, Singapore
  • 6School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
  • 7Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Institut de Physique de Nice, Nice, France

  • *daniel.schumayer@otago.ac.nz
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Phys. Rev. Research 6, L012021 – Published 25 January, 2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.6.L012021

Abstract

We study Anderson localization in two-dimensional, disordered, spin-orbit systems belonging to the symplectic symmetry class using momentum-space signatures such as the coherent backscattering antipeak and the coherent forward-scattering peak. Significantly, these momentum-space features are readily accessible in ultracold atom experiments through absorption imaging after time-of-flight expansion. Here, the critical exponent and mobility edge of the metal-insulator transition are successfully obtained through a finite-time analysis of the coherent backscattering width. An anomalous residual diffusion, unique to two dimensions, is identified at the transition point where the system changes from a metal to an insulator. A spin localization phenomenon is also observed in the deep localized regime.

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Phys. Rev. Research 6, L012021– Published 25 January, 2024
  • Received 16 January 2023
  • Revised 11 August 2023
  • Accepted 6 November 2023
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Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article's title, journal citation, and DOI.

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