Thermalization dynamics of a gauge theory on a quantum simulator

Year: 2022

Authors: 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.

Autors Affiliation: Univ Sci & Technol China, Hefei Natl Res Ctr Phys Sci Microscale, Hefei 230026, Peoples R China; Univ Sci & Technol China, Sch Phys Sci, Hefei 230026, Peoples R China; Univ Sci & Technol China, Sch Phys, Hefei 230026, Peoples R China; Heidelberg Univ, Phys Inst, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany; Univ Sci & Technol China, CAS Ctr Excellence Quantum Informat & Quantum Phy, Hefei 230026, Peoples R China; Univ Trento, INO CNR BEC Ctr, Via Sommar 14, I-38123 Trento, Italy; Univ Trento, Dept Phys, Via Sommar 14, I-38123 Trento, Italy; Heidelberg Univ, Inst Theoret Phys, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany; Univ Innsbruck, Inst Expt Phys, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria; Univ Sci & Technol China, Hefei Natl Lab, Hefei 230088, Peoples R China; Southern Univ Sci & Technol, Dept Phys, Shenzhen 518055, Peoples R China.

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.

Journal/Review: SCIENCE

Volume: 377 (6603)      Pages from: 311  to: 314

KeyWords: INVARIANCE
DOI: 10.1126/science.abl6277

Citations: 91
data from “WEB OF SCIENCE” (of Thomson Reuters) are update at: 2024-10-27
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