Controlling the interaction graph between spins or qubits in a quantum simulator allows user-controlled tailoring of native interactions to achieve a target Hamiltonian. The flexibility of engineering long-ranged phonon-mediated spin-spin interactions in a trapped ion quantum simulator offers such a possibility. Trapped ions, a leading candidate for simulating computationally hard quantum many-body dynamics, are most readily trapped in a linear 1D chain, limiting their utility for readily simulating higher dimensional spin models. In this work, we introduce a hybrid method of analog-digital simulation for simulating 2D spin models and dynamically changing interactions to achieve a new graph using a linear 1D chain. The method relies on time domain Hamiltonian engineering through a successive application of Stark shift gradient pulses, and wherein the pulse sequence can simply be obtained from a Fourier series decomposition of the target Hamiltonian over the space of lattice couplings. We focus on engineering 2D rectangular nearest-neighbor spin lattices, demonstrating that the required control parameters scale linearly with ion number. This hybrid approach offers compelling possibilities for the use of 1D chains in the study of Hamiltonian quenches, dynamical phase transitions, and quantum transport in 2D and 3D. We discuss a possible experimental implementation of this approach using real experimental parameters.
Controlling the interaction graph between spins or qubits in a quantum simulator allows user-controlled tailoring of native interactions to achieve a target Hamiltonian. The flexibility of engineering long-ranged phonon-mediated spin-spin interactions in a trapped ion quantum simulator offers such a possibility. Trapped ions, a leading candidate for simulating computationally hard quantum many-body dynamics, are most readily trapped in a linear 1D chain, limiting their utility for readily simulating higher dimensional spin models. In this work, we introduce a hybrid method of analog-digital simulation for simulating 2D spin models and dynamically changing interactions to achieve a new graph using a linear 1D chain. The method relies on time domain Hamiltonian engineering through a successive application of Stark shift gradient pulses, and wherein the pulse sequence can simply be obtained from a Fourier series decomposition of the target Hamiltonian over the space of lattice couplings. We focus on engineering 2D rectangular nearest-neighbor spin lattices, demonstrating that the required control parameters scale linearly with ion number. This hybrid approach offers compelling possibilities for the use of 1D chains in the study of Hamiltonian quenches, dynamical phase transitions, and quantum transport in 2D and 3D. We discuss a possible experimental implementation of this approach using real experimental parameters.
Abstract Controlling the interaction graph between spins or qubits in a quantum simulator allows user-controlled tailoring of native interactions to achieve a target Hamiltonian. Engineering long-ranged phonon-mediated spin–spin interactions in a trapped ion quantum simulator offers such a possibility. Trapped ions, a leading candidate for quantum simulation, are most readily trapped in a linear 1D chain, limiting their utility for readily simulating higher dimensional spin models. In this work, we introduce a hybrid method of analog-digital simulation for simulating 2D spin models which allows for the dynamic changing of interactions to achieve a new graph using a linear 1D chain. We focus this numerical work on engineering 2D rectangular nearest-neighbor spin lattices, demonstrating that the required control parameters scale linearly with ion number. This hybrid approach offers compelling possibilities for the use of 1D chains in the study of Hamiltonian quenches, dynamical phase transitions, and quantum transport in 2D and 3D.
Quantum simulation is the process of using a highly controllable quantum system to simulate another less controllable system. Quantum simulation can provide insights into the properties and dynamics of complex many-body systems. Trapped ion platform is one of the leading candidates for a quantum simulator due to its properties such as ease of isolation, preparation and manipulation. Simulating high dimensional spin systems enables us to study the various physical phenomena in higher geometries. Previous proposals for simulating higher dimensions require experimental resources that don't scale favourably with the system. In this thesis, we propose a hybrid (digital-analog) approach to simulate an effective 2D lattice from a 1D chain of trapped ions. In the initial geometry, the ions interact with each other through a flip-flop kind of interactions generated using a global Molmer-Sorensen scheme. A series of single qubit gates are used to rescale and suppress the interactions in the initial chain to simulate the target geometry. These gates are applied using a laser field gradient which generates a site-dependent AC stark shift. I discuss the construction of this protocol in detail and the theoretical results for the case of 6, 9 and 16 ions. I also show that the number of gates and also the Stark gradient scale linearly with the system size. \n \nExperimental implementation of an ion trap quantum simulator has various challenges, one of the which is the laser frequency stabilization within a fraction of transition linewidth. Traditionally, this is done by locking the lasers to an atomic transition. In this thesis, I discuss two alternative schemes for locking the laser frequencies used to build a 171Yb+ ion quantum simulator. One of these solutions uses a commercial wavemeter as a measuring device for the frequency and feedbacks the lasers based on this measurement. I discuss the layout of this scheme and some results. Other solution uses a Fabry Perot (FP) cavity to transfer the stability of a stable laser to an unstable laser. In this thesis, I discuss the construction, optical layout and transmission measurements of a home-built FP cavity.
Abstract Trapped-ion quantum simulators, in analog and digital modes, are considered a primary candidate to achieve quantum advantage in quantum simulation and quantum computation. The underlying controlled ion–laser interactions induce all-to-all two-spin interactions via the collective modes of motion through Cirac–Zoller or Mølmer–Sørensen schemes, leading to effective two-spin Hamiltonians, as well as two-qubit entangling gates. In this work, the Mølmer–Sørensen scheme is extended to induce three-spin interactions via tailored first- and second-order spin–motion couplings. The scheme enables engineering single-, two-, and three-spin interactions, and can be tuned via an enhanced protocol to simulate purely three-spin dynamics. Analytical results for the effective evolution are presented, along with detailed numerical simulations of the full dynamics to support the accuracy and feasibility of the proposed scheme for near-term applications. With a focus on quantum simulation, the advantage of a direct analog implementation of three-spin dynamics is demonstrated via the example of matter-gauge interactions in the U(1) lattice gauge theory within the quantum link model. The mapping of degrees of freedom and strategies for scaling the three-spin scheme to larger systems, are detailed, along with a discussion of the expected outcome of the simulation of the quantum link model given realistic fidelities in the upcoming experiments. The applications of the three-spin scheme go beyond the lattice gauge theory example studied here and include studies of static and dynamical phase diagrams of strongly interacting condensed-matter systems modeled by two- and three-spin Hamiltonians.
A collection of trapped atomic ions represents one of the most attractive platforms for the quantum simulation of interacting spin networks and quantum magnetism. Spin-dependent optical dipole forces applied to an ion crystal create long-range eective spin-spin interactions and allow the simulation of spin Hamiltonians that possess nontrivial phases and dynamics. We trap linear chains of 171Yb+ ions in a Paul trap, and constrain the occupation of energy levels to the ground hyperne clock-states, creating a qubit or pseudo-spin 1/2 system. We proceed to implement spin-spin couplings between two ions using the far detuned Mlmer-Srenson scheme and perform adiabatic quantum simulations of Ising Hamiltonians with long-range couplings. We then demonstrate our ability to control the sign and relative strength of the interaction between three ions. Using this control, we simulate a frustrated triangular lattice, and for the first time establish an experimental connection between frustration and quantum entanglement. We then scale up our simulation to show phase transitions from paramagnetism to ferromagnetism for nine ions, and to anti-ferromagnetism for sixteen ions. The experimental work culminates with our most complicated Hamiltonian - a long range anti-ferromagnetic Ising interaction between 10 ions with a biasing axial field. Theoretical work presented in this thesis shows how the approach to quantum simulation utilized in this thesis can be further extended and improved. It is shown how appropriate design of laser elds can provide for arbitrary multidimensional spin-spin interaction graphs even for the case of a linear spatial array of ions. This scheme uses currently existing trap technology and is scalable to levels where classical methods of simulation are intractable.
Abstract. Quantum simulation is a promising near term application for quantum information processors with the potential to solve computationally intractable problems using just a few dozen interacting qubits [1, 2, 3]. A range of experimental platforms have recently demonstrated the basic functionality of quantum simulation applied to quantum magnetism, quantum phase transitions, and relativistic quantum mechanics [4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11]. However, in all cases, the physics of the underlying hardware restricts the achievable inter-particle interactions and forms a serious constraint on the versatility of the simulators. To broaden the scope of these analog devices, we develop a suite of pulse sequences that permit a user to efficiently realize average Hamiltonians that are beyond the native interactions of the system [12, 13]. Specifically, this approach permits the generation of all symmetrically coupled translation-invariant two-body Hamiltonians with homogeneous on-site terms, a class which includes all spin-1/2 XYZ chains, but generalized to include long-range couplings. Our work builds on previous work proving that universal simulation is possible using both entangling gates and single-qubit unitaries [14, 15, 16]. We show that determining the appropriate “program ” of unitary pulse sequences which implements an arbitrary Hamiltonian transformation can be formulated as a linear program over functions defined by those pulse sequences, running in polynomial time and scaling efficiently in hardware resources. Our analysis extends from circuit model quantum information to adiabatic quantum evolutions, representing an important and broad-based success in applying functional analysis to the field of quantum information. ar X iv
Quantum simulation is a promising near term application for quantum information processors with the potential to solve computationally intractable problems using just a few dozen interacting qubits. A range of experimental platforms have recently demonstrated the basic functionality of quantum simulation applied to quantum magnetism, quantum phase transitions and relativistic quantum mechanics. However, in all cases, the physics of the underlying hardware restricts the achievable inter-particle interactions and forms a serious constraint on the versatility of the simulators. To broaden the scope of these analog devices, we develop a suite of pulse sequences that permit a user to efficiently realize average Hamiltonians that are beyond the native interactions of the system. Specifically, this approach permits the generation of all symmetrically coupled translation-invariant two-body Hamiltonians with homogeneous on-site terms, a class which includes all spin- XYZ chains, but generalized to include long-range couplings. Our work builds on previous work proving that universal simulation is possible using both entangling gates and single-qubit unitaries. We show that determining the appropriate 'program' of unitary pulse sequences which implements an arbitrary Hamiltonian transformation can be formulated as a linear program over functions defined by those pulse sequences, running in polynomial time and scaling efficiently in hardware resources. Our analysis extends from circuit model quantum information to adiabatic quantum evolutions, representing an important and broad-based success in applying functional analysis to the field of quantum information.