Scientific Calendar Event



Starts 12 Nov 2009 11:00
Ends 12 Nov 2009 20:00
Central European Time
ICTP
Leonardo da Vinci Building Seminar Room
Strada Costiera, 11 I - 34151 Trieste (Italy)
Predicted in 1958 by P. W. Anderson for electronic waves and latter recognized as an ubiquitous phenomenon in wave physics, the Anderson localization effect has prompted an intense experimental and theoretical activity. Since the 90’s, such exponential localization effects have been reported in different types of waves (light waves, microwaves, sound waves…) and were directly observed with matter-waves very recently [1,2]. I will present in this seminar the scheme realized in Palaiseau where the propagation of a Bose Einstein condensate along a one-dimensional waveguide is stopped in presence of a weak disorder. A stationary state is reached and the emblematic signature of AL (e.g. the exponential decay in the tails) is directly observed by imaging. The disorder potential is created by laser speckle, whose characteristics are well controlled. Such control enables a good agreement with theoretical predictions [3]. This experiment is thus very promising in view of future extensions of the scheme to higher dimensions (2D or 3D) or in the presence of interactions. [1] J. Billy et al. Nature 453 p. 891 (2008) [2] G. Roati et al. Nature 453 p. 895 (2008) [3] L. Sanchez-Palencia et al. Phys. Rev. Lett 98, 210401 (2007)
  • M. Poropat