Linear and nonlinear Anderson localization in a curved potential

Abstract

We investigate disorder induced localization in the presence of nonlinearity and curvature. We numerically analyze the time-resolved three-dimensional expansion of a wave-packet in a bended cigar shaped potential with a focusing Kerr-like interaction term and Gaussian disorder. We report on a self-consistent analytical theory in which randomness, nonlinearity and geometry are determined by a single scaling parameter, and show that curvature enhances localization.