Anderson localization transitions with and without random potentials

Abstract

We explore single-particle Anderson localization due to nonrandom quasiperiodic potentials in two and three dimensions. We introduce a class of self-dual models that generalize the one-dimensional Aubry-Andre model to higher dimensions. In three dimensions (3D) we find that the Anderson localization transitions appear to be in the same universality class as for random potentials. In scaling or renormalization group terms, this means that randomness of the potential is irrelevant at the Anderson localization transitions in 3D. In two dimensions (2D) we also explore the Ando model, which is in the symplectic symmetry class and shows an Anderson localization transition for random potentials. Here, unlike in 3D, we find that the universality class changes when we instead use a quasiperiodic potential.