August 7, 2017 | J. Zhang, G. Pagano, P. W. Hess, A. Kyprianidis, P. Becker, H. Kaplan, A. V. Gorshkov, Z.-X. Gong, and C. Monroe
The paper presents a quantum simulation of a dynamical phase transition (DPT) in a transverse field Ising model using a 53-qubit quantum simulator. The qubits are trapped ion spins, which can be prepared in various initial pure states. The system is controlled by a global long-range Ising interaction with adjustable strength and range, and measurements are performed with near 99% efficiency. This setup allows for the direct probing of many-body correlations and the detection of computationally intractable features due to the long-range interactions and high connectivity between the qubits. The DPT is studied through a quantum quench, where the system Hamiltonian is suddenly changed, leading to a transition from ferromagnetic to paramagnetic states. The dynamics are analyzed using single-shot measurements of spin magnetizations and two-body correlations, revealing the emergence of long domains of correlated spins and a sharp transition at a critical value of the transverse magnetic field. The experimental results are compared with numerical simulations, confirming the existence of the DPT. The study highlights the potential of quantum simulators in exploring complex many-body systems and their applications in solving hard computational problems.The paper presents a quantum simulation of a dynamical phase transition (DPT) in a transverse field Ising model using a 53-qubit quantum simulator. The qubits are trapped ion spins, which can be prepared in various initial pure states. The system is controlled by a global long-range Ising interaction with adjustable strength and range, and measurements are performed with near 99% efficiency. This setup allows for the direct probing of many-body correlations and the detection of computationally intractable features due to the long-range interactions and high connectivity between the qubits. The DPT is studied through a quantum quench, where the system Hamiltonian is suddenly changed, leading to a transition from ferromagnetic to paramagnetic states. The dynamics are analyzed using single-shot measurements of spin magnetizations and two-body correlations, revealing the emergence of long domains of correlated spins and a sharp transition at a critical value of the transverse magnetic field. The experimental results are compared with numerical simulations, confirming the existence of the DPT. The study highlights the potential of quantum simulators in exploring complex many-body systems and their applications in solving hard computational problems.