Quantum simulation of the transverse field Ising model with trapped atomic ions

ORAL

Abstract

We simulate an fully-connected ferromagnetic Ising model in a transverse magnetic field using a chain of spins, each represented by the ground states within the hyperfine manifold of a 171-Yb+ ion. ~We observe the transition from paramagnetic to ferromagnetic ground state spin order as the ratio of the transverse field to Ising couplings is varied. The crossover curves get `sharper' as the system size is increased, from N=2 to 9 ions, heralding the expected quantum phase transition in an infinite size system. Sources of error and insight from numerical simulations will be discussed and we expect these results will guide future experiments that will simulate quantum magnetic models that are intractable using classical computers.

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Authors

  • S. Korenblit

    JQI: Dept of Physics, University of Maryland, and NIST

  • E.E. Edwards

    JQI: Dept of Physics, University of Maryland, and NIST

  • R. Islam

    JQI: Dept of Physics, University of Maryland, and NIST

  • K. Kim

    JQI: Dept of Physics, University of Maryland, and NIST

  • M.-S. Chang

    JQI: Dept of Physics, University of Maryland, and NIST

  • G.-D. Lin

    MCTP, Dept of Physics, University of Michigan

  • L.-M. Duan

    MCTP, Dept of Physics, University of Michigan

  • C. Noh

    Dept of Physics, University of Auckland

  • Howard Carmichael

    Dept of Physics, University of Auckland, Dept. of Physics, University of Auckland, New Zealand

  • C.-C. Wang

    Dept of Physics, Georgetown University

  • James Freericks

    Dept of Physics, Georgetown University, Georgetown University

  • Christopher Monroe

    JQI: Dept of Physics, University of Maryland, and NIST, JQI, University of Maryland, Joint Quantum Institute, University of Maryland Department of Physics and National Institute of Standards and Technology, College Park, Maryland 20742, JQI, University of Maryland and NIST, College Park, MD 20742, JQI and University of Maryland