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arXiv:2502.01824 · SciPost Physics Core

Digital quantum simulation of bosonic systems and quantum complementarity

Victor P. Brasil, Diego S. Starke, Jonas Maziero

Published Nov 24, 2025• 0 citations

Abstract

Digital quantum simulation (DQS) has emerged as a powerful approach to investigate complex quantum systems using digital quantum computers. Such systems, like many-particle bosonic systems and intricate optical experimental setups, pose significant challenges for classical simulation methods. In this paper, we utilize a general formalism for the DQS of bosonic systems, which consists of mapping bosonic operators to Pauli operators using the Gray code, in order to simulate interferometric variants of Afshar’s experiment—an intricate optical experiment—on IBM’s quantum computers. We investigated experiments analogous to Afshar’s double-slit experiment performed by Unruh and Pessoa Júnior, exploring discussions on the apparent violation of Bohr’s complementarity principle when considering the entire experimental setup. Based on the aforementioned experiments, we construct a variation of a delayed-choice setup. We also explore another experiment starting with a two-photon initial state. Finally, we analyze these experiments within the framework of an updated quantum complementarity principle, which applies to specific quantum state preparations and remains consistent with the foundational principles of Quantum Mechanics.

DOI: 10.21468/scipostphyscore.8.4.086

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