Anomalous quantum transport in fractal lattices

Abstract: Fractal lattices are self-similar structures with repeated patterns on different scales. As in other aperiodic lattices, the absence of translational symmetry can give rise to quantum localization effects. In contrast to low-dimensional disordered systems, co-existence of localized and extended states is possible in fractal structures, and can lead to subtle transport behavior. Here, we study the dynamical properties of two fractal lattices, the Sierpi\'nski gasket and the Sierpi\'nski carpet. Despite their geometric similarity, the transport turns out to behave very differently: In the Sierpi\'nski gasket, we find a sub-diffusive behavior, whereas the Sierpi\'nski carpet exhibits sub-ballistic transport properties. We show that the different dynamical behavior is in line with qualitative differences of the systems' spectral properties. Specifically, in contrast to the Sierpi\'nski carpet, the Sierpi\'nski gasket exhibits an inverse power-law behavior of the level spacing distribution. From the point of view of technological applications, we demonstrate that the sub-diffusive behavior in the Sierpi\'nski gasket can be used as a quantum memory. By interpolating between fractal and regular lattices, a flexible tuning between different transport regimes becomes possible.