Abstract

The investigation of dynamical localization is part of the field of “Quantum Chaos”, where the quantal behavior of systems which are chaotic in the classical limit is studied. The classical dynamics of chaotic systems resembles random motion, although it is generated by deterministic equations, and as long as the phase space is unbounded its random-like motion leads to diffusion in this space. In the quantum case, however, it is suppressed by quantum interference leading to dynamical localization¹ which is similar to Anderson localization in disordered solids.² So far, only one direct experimental realization of quantum kicked-rotor has been published, using ultra-cold sodium atoms.³

© 1999 Optical Society of America