A single defect approximation for localized states on random lattices

Geometrical disorder is present in many physical situations giving rise to eigenvalue problems. The simplest case of diffusion on a random lattice with fluctuating site connectivities is studied analytically and by exact numerical diagonalizations. Localization of eigenmodes is shown to be induced by geometrical defects, that is sites with abnormally low or large connectivities. We expose a `single defect approximation' (SDA) scheme founded on this mechanism that provides an accurate quantitative description of both extended and localized regions of the spectrum. We then present a systematic diagrammatic expansion allowing to use SDA for finite-dimensional problems, e.g. to determine the localized harmonic modes of amorphous media.