  Going beyond the linearized study has been a longstanding problem in the
theory of Landau damping. In this paper we establish exponential Landau damping
in analytic regularity. The damping phenomenon is reinterpreted in terms of
transfer of regularity between kinetic and spatial variables, rather than
exchanges of energy; phase mixing is the driving mechanism. The analysis
involves new families of analytic norms, measuring regularity by comparison
with solutions of the free transport equation; new functional inequalities; a
control of nonlinear echoes; sharp scattering estimates; and a Newton
approximation scheme. Our results hold for any potential no more singular than
Coulomb or Newton interaction; the limit cases are included with specific
technical effort. As a side result, the stability of homogeneous equilibria of
the nonlinear Vlasov equation is established under sharp assumptions. We point
out the strong analogy with the KAM theory, and discuss physical implications.
