Anderson localization of a Bose-Einstein condensate in a 3D random potential

We study the effect of Anderson localization on the expansion of a Bose-Einstein condensate, released from a harmonic trap, in a 3D random potential. We use scaling arguments and the self-consistent theory of localization to show that the long-time behavior of the condensate density is controlled by a single parameter equal to the ratio of the mobility edge and the chemical potential of the condensate. We find that the two critical exponents of the localization transition determine the evolution of the condensate density in time and space.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure

Disorder-induced trapping versus Anderson localization in Bose-Einstein condensates expanding in disordered potentials

We theoretically investigate the localization of an expanding Bose-Einstein condensate with repulsive atom-atom interactions in a disordered potential. We focus on the regime where the initial inter-atomic interactions dominate over the kinetic energy and the disorder. At equilibrium in a trapping potential and for small disorder, the condensate shows a Thomas-Fermi shape modified by the disorder. When the condensate is released from the trap, a strong suppression of the expansion is obtained in contrast to the situation in a periodic potential with similar characteristics. This effect crucially depends on both the momentum distribution of the expanding BEC and the strength of the disorder. For strong disorder, the suppression of the expansion results from the fragmentation of the core of the condensate and from classical reflections from large modulations of the disordered potential in the tails of the condensate. We identify the corresponding disorder-induced trapping scenario for which large atom-atom interactions and strong reflections from single modulations of the disordered potential play central roles. For weak disorder, the suppression of the expansion signals the onset of Anderson localization, which is due to multiple scattering from the modulations of the disordered potential. We compute analytically the localized density profile of the condensate and show that the localization crucially depends on the correlation function of the disorder. In particular, for speckle potentials the long-range correlations induce an effective mobility edge in 1D finite systems. Numerical calculations performed in the mean-field approximation support our analysis for both strong and weak disorder.Comment: New Journal of Physics; focus issue "Quantum Correlations in Tailored Matter - Common perspectives of mesoscopic systems and quantum gases"; 30 pages, 10 figure