DOE OSTI · 2571474
Quantum computing universal thermalization dynamics in a (2 + 1)D Lattice Gauge Theory
Abstract
Simulating non-equilibrium phenomena in strongly-interacting quantum many-body systems, including thermalization, is a promising application of near-term and future quantum computation. By performing experiments on a digital quantum computer consisting of fully-connected optically-controlled trapped ions, we study the role of entanglement in the thermalization dynamics of a Z 2 lattice gauge theory in 2+1 spacetime dimensions. Using randomized-measurement protocols, we efficiently learn a classical approximation of non-equilibrium states that yields the gap-ratio distribution and the spectral form factor of the entanglement Hamiltonian. These observables exhibit universal early-time signals for quantum chaos, a prerequisite for thermalization. Our work, therefore, establishes quantum computers as robust tools for studying universal features of thermalization in complex many-body systems, including in gauge theories.
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Mueller, Niklas [University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (United States); University of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States)] (ORCID:0000000215429497), Wang, Tianyi [Duke University, Durham, NC (United States); University of Maryland, College Park, MD (United States)], Katz, Or [Duke University, Durham, NC (United States); Cornell University, Ithaca, NY (United States)], Davoudi, Zohreh [University of Maryland, College Park, MD (United States)] (ORCID:0000000272882810), Cetina, Marko [Duke University, Durham, NC (United States); University of Maryland, College Park, MD (United States)] (ORCID:0000000319429977). 2025-07-01. Quantum computing universal thermalization dynamics in a (2 + 1)D Lattice Gauge Theory. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60177-7
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