Disorder effect on the localization/delocalization in incommensurate potential

Abstract

The interplay between incommensurate (IC) and random potentials is studied in a two-dimensional symplectic model with the focus on localization/delocalization problem. With the IC potential only, there appear wavefunctions localized along the IC wavevector while extended perpendicular to it. Once the disorder potential is introduced, these turn into two-dimensional anisotropic metallic states beyond the scale of the elastic mean free path, and eventually becomes localized in both directions at a critical strength of the disorder. Implications of these results to the experimental observation of the IC-induced localization is discussed.