Localization lengths for Schroedinger operators on Z^2 with decaying random potentials

Abstract

We study a class of Schrödinger operators on $\Z^2$ with a random potential decaying as $|x|^{-\dex}$, $0<\dex\leq\frac12$, in the limit of small disorder strength $λ$. For the critical exponent $\dex=\frac12$, we prove that the localization length of eigenfunctions is bounded below by $2^{λ^{-\frac14+η}}$, while for $0<\dex<\frac12$, the lower bound is $λ^{-\frac{2-η}{1-2\dex}}$, for any $η>0$. These estimates &#34;interpolate&#34; between the lower bound $λ^{-2+η}$ due to recent work of Schlag-Shubin-Wolff for $\dex=0$, and pure a.c. spectrum for $\dex>\frac12$ demonstrated in recent work of Bourgain.