Anderson localization in dissipative lattices

Abstract

Anderson localization predicts that wave spreading in disordered lattices can come to a complete halt, providing a universal mechanism for {dynamical localization}. In the one-dimensional Hermitian Anderson model with uncorrelated diagonal disorder, there is a one-to-one correspondence between dynamical localization and spectral localization, i.e. the exponential localization of all the Hamiltonian eigenfunctions. This correspondence can be broken when dealing with disordered dissipative lattices. Recently, it has been shown that when the system exchanges particles with the surrounding environment and random fluctuations of the dissipation are introduced, spectral localization is observed but without dynamical localization. Such previous studies considered lattices with mixed conservative (Hamiltonian) and dissipative dynamics, and were restricted to a semiclassical analysis. However, Anderson localization in purely dissipative lattices, displaying an entirely Lindbladian dynamics, remains largely unexplored. Here we consider the purely-dissipative Anderson model in the framework of a Lindblad master equation and show that, akin to the semiclassical models with conservative hopping and random dissipation, one observes dynamical delocalization in spite of strong spectral localization of all eigenstates of the Liouvillian superoperator. This result is very distinct than delocalization observed in the Anderson model with dephasing effects, where dynamical delocalization arises from the delocalization of the stationary state of the Liouvillian superoperator.