Spectral properties of disordered insulating lattice under nonlinear electric field

Abstract: Quenched disorder in a solid state system can result in Anderson localization where electrons are exponentially localized and the system behaves like an insulator. In this study, we investigate the effect of a DC electric field on Anderson localization. The study highlights the case of a one-dimensional insulator chain with on-site disorder when a DC electric field is applied throughout the chain. We study spectral properties of an Anderson localized system in equilibrium and out-of-equilibrium using a full lattice nonequilibrium Green's function method in the steady-state limit. Tuning the disorder and the electric field strength results in the creation of exponential Lifshitz tails near the band edge by strongly localized levels. These Lifshtiz tails create effects like insulator-to-metal transitions and contribute to non-local hopping. The electric field causes gradual delocalization of the system and Anderson localization crossing over to Wannier Stark ladders at very strong fields. Our study makes a comparison with the coherent potential approximation (CPA) highlighting some major differences and similarities in the physics of disorder.