Many-body localization characterized from a one-particle perspective

We show that the one-particle density matrix can be used to characterize the interaction-driven many-body localization transition in closed fermionic systems. The eigenstates of density matrix are localized in the many-body localized phase and spread out when one enters the delocalized phase, while the eigenvalues reveals the distinctive Fock-space structure of the many-body eigenstates, exhibiting a step-like discontinuity in the localized phase. The associated one-particle occupation entropy is small in the localized phase and large in the delocalized phase, with diverging fluctuations at the transition. We analyze the inverse participation ratio of the natural orbitals and found that it is independent of system size in the localized phase.