Giovanni Modugno — LENS e Università degli Studi, Firenze # Measurement of the mobility edge for 3D Anderson localization with ultracold atoms # Anderson localization is a universal phenomenon affecting quantum particles in a disordered environment. In three spatial dimensions, theory predicts a quantum phase transition from localization to diffusion at a critical energy, the mobility edge, which depends on the disorder strength. Although it has been recognized already long ago as a prominent feature of disordered systems, so far the mobility edge could not be measured in any physical system.
I will report on the measurement of the mobility edge for ultracold atoms in a disordered potential created by laser speckles. We are able to measure the mobility edge in a range of disorder strengths sufficiently large to explore both regimes where the spatial correlations of the disorder are relevant or not relevant. The precise control over the atomic system allows now a close experiment-theory comparison, and is a prerequisite to study the even more challenging problem of disorder and interactions.