First experimental quantum simulation of genuine non-Abelian string breaking in an SU(2) pure gauge theory on a qudit trapped-ion computer, resolving oscillations and coherent breaking driven by plaquette interactions.
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Observation of genuine $2+1$D string dynamics in a U$(1)$ lattice gauge theory with a tunable plaquette term on a trapped-ion quantum computer
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abstract
Quantum simulations of high-energy physics in $2+1$D can probe dynamical phenomena nonexistent in one spatial dimension and access regimes that are challenging for existing classical simulation methods. For string dynamics -- relevant to hadronization -- a plaquette term is required to realize genuine $2+1$D behavior, as it endows the gauge field with dynamics and enables the propagation of photon-like excitations. Here, we realize a U$(1)$ quantum link model of quantum electrodynamics in two spatial dimensions with a tunable plaquette term on a \texttt{Quantinuum System Model H2} quantum computer. We implement, to our knowledge, the largest quantum simulation of string-breaking dynamics reported to date, on a $5 \times 4$ matter-site square lattice using $51$ qubits. The simulation uses a shallow circuit design with a two-qubit gate depth of $28$ per Trotter step and up to $1540$ entangling gates. Starting from far-from-equilibrium string configurations, we measure the probability for the string to propagate within the lattice plane and find signatures of genuine $2+1$D dynamics only when the plaquette term is present. In a resonant regime, we observe the annihilation of string segments accompanied by the production of electron--positron pairs that screen them. We further find that, only with a nonzero plaquette term, matter creation extends across the lattice plane rather than remaining confined to the initial string path. These results experimentally realize string breaking and demonstrate the emergence of dynamical gauge fields in two spatial dimensions, establishing a route to photon-like propagation in programmable quantum simulators of gauge theories.
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background 3representative citing papers
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New analytic and Monte Carlo-assisted method tightens energy-based boson truncation bounds, reducing volume dependence in (1+1)D scalar and (2+1)D U(1) gauge theories.
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Non-Abelian String-Breaking Dynamics on a Qudit Quantum Computer
First experimental quantum simulation of genuine non-Abelian string breaking in an SU(2) pure gauge theory on a qudit trapped-ion computer, resolving oscillations and coherent breaking driven by plaquette interactions.
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Bias Analysis and Regularization of Sequential Minimal Optimization in Variational Quantum Eigensolvers
Bias in SMO-VQE can be estimated without extra measurements; a regularization method that mimics error accumulation while preserving unbiased estimates improves performance across system sizes and Hamiltonians.
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The nonlocal magic of a holographic Schwinger pair
Holographic Schwinger pair creation generates nonlocal magic for spacetime dimensions d>2, as shown by a non-flat entanglement spectrum that can be read from the probe brane free energy.
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Tightening energy-based boson truncation bound using Monte Carlo-assisted methods
New analytic and Monte Carlo-assisted method tightens energy-based boson truncation bounds, reducing volume dependence in (1+1)D scalar and (2+1)D U(1) gauge theories.
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