Quantum Thermalization and Localization in Trapped Ions

ORAL

Abstract

Trapped-ion quantum simulators have proven useful in exploring quantum-many-body physics that is difficult to examine in condensed-matter experiments or using classical simulation. Here, we present experiments that investigate thermalization in closed quantum systems. Fully-connected Ising and XY models with tunable disorder are encoded within a chain of $^{171}$Yb$^+$ ions. We prepare arbitrary non-equilibrium initial states and determine if these states thermalize after a long time evolution. One could expect to observe prethermal or many-body localized behavior in our system depending upon the initial conditions and the amount of disorder present.

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Authors

  • Jacob Smith

    Joint Quantum Institute, University of Maryland Department of Physics and National Institute of Standards and Technology, College Park, Maryland 20742

  • Paul Hess

    Joint Quantum Institute, University of Maryland Department of Physics and National Institute of Standards and Technology, College Park, Maryland 20742

  • Harvey Kaplan

    Joint Quantum Institute, University of Maryland Department of Physics and National Institute of Standards and Technology, College Park, Maryland 20742

  • Aaron Lee

    Joint Quantum Institute, University of Maryland Department of Physics and National Institute of Standards and Technology, College Park, Maryland 20742

  • Brian Neyenhuis

    Joint Quantum Institute, University of Maryland Department of Physics and National Institute of Standards and Technology, College Park, Maryland 20742

  • Lexi Parsagian

    Joint Quantum Institute, University of Maryland Department of Physics and National Institute of Standards and Technology, College Park, Maryland 20742

  • Philip Richerme

    Joint Quantum Institute, University of Maryland Department of Physics and National Institute of Standards and Technology, College Park, Maryland 20742, Joint Quantum Institute

  • Christopher Monroe

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