Bichromatic state-dependent disordered potential for Anderson localization of ultracold atoms

Abstract

The ability to load ultracold atoms at a well-defined energy in a disordered potential is a crucial tool to study quantum transport, and in particular Anderson localization. In this paper, we present a new method for achieving that goal by rf transfer of atoms in an atomic Bose-Einstein condensate from a disorder-insensitive state to a disorder-sensitive state. It is based on a bichromatic laser speckle pattern, produced by two lasers whose frequencies are chosen so that their light-shifts cancel each other in the first state and add up in the second state. Moreover, the spontaneous scattering rate in the disorder-sensitive state is low enough to allow for long observation times of quantum transport in that state. We theoretically and experimentally study the characteristics of the resulting potential. Graphic abstract

Quantum optics of light and matter: honouring Alain Aspect

“…Four papers [9][10][11][12] concern localization of matter waves and the properties of disordered quantum systems. Alain and his collaborators understood that laser speckle could provide a well-controlled disorder potential for ultracold atoms and in 2008 observed Anderson localization of a matter-wave in a one-dimensional system (1D).…”

“…Alain and his collaborators understood that laser speckle could provide a well-controlled disorder potential for ultracold atoms and in 2008 observed Anderson localization of a matter-wave in a one-dimensional system (1D). A novel experimental approach using a bichromatic speckle potential is presented by B. Lecoutre et al [9]. It allows the team of Vincent Josse, with whom Alain still collaborates, to propose a realistic scheme to address the phase transition of the Anderson localization in a three-dimensional system.…”