Gauge theories form the foundation of modern physics, with applications ranging from elementary particle physics and early-universe cosmology to condensed matter systems. We perform quantum simulations of the unitary dynamics of a U(1) symmetric gauge field theory and demonstrate emergent irreversible behavior. The highly constrained gauge theory dynamics are encoded in a one-dimensional Bose-Hubbard simulator, which couples fermionic matter fields through dynamical gauge fields. We investigated global quantum quenches and the equilibration to a steady state well approximated by a thermal ensemble. Our work may enable the investigation of elusive phenomena, such as Schwinger pair production and string breaking, and paves the way for simulating more complex, higher-dimensional gauge theories on quantum synthetic matter devices.
Thermalization dynamics of a gauge theory on a quantum simulator / Zhou, Z. -Y.; Su, G. -X.; Halimeh, J. C.; Ott, R.; Sun, H.; Hauke, P.; Yang, B.; Yuan, Z. -S.; Berges, J.; Pan, J. -W.. - In: SCIENCE. - ISSN 0036-8075. - 377:6603(2022), pp. 311-314. [10.1126/science.abl6277]
Thermalization dynamics of a gauge theory on a quantum simulator
Hauke P.;
2022-01-01
Abstract
Gauge theories form the foundation of modern physics, with applications ranging from elementary particle physics and early-universe cosmology to condensed matter systems. We perform quantum simulations of the unitary dynamics of a U(1) symmetric gauge field theory and demonstrate emergent irreversible behavior. The highly constrained gauge theory dynamics are encoded in a one-dimensional Bose-Hubbard simulator, which couples fermionic matter fields through dynamical gauge fields. We investigated global quantum quenches and the equilibration to a steady state well approximated by a thermal ensemble. Our work may enable the investigation of elusive phenomena, such as Schwinger pair production and string breaking, and paves the way for simulating more complex, higher-dimensional gauge theories on quantum synthetic matter devices.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione
