We propose a novel tensor-network method to achieve accurate and efficient simulations of Abelian lattice gauge theories (LGTs) in (2+1)D for both ground-state and real-time dynamics. The first key is to identify a gauge canonical form of gauge-invariant tensor-network states, which already simplifies existing algorithms for (1+1)D LGTs. The second key is to employ the gauge canonical form of a projected entangled-pair state (PEPS) combining with variational Monte Carlo, enabling efficient computations for (2+1)D LGTs. We demonstrate the versatile capability of this approach for accurate ground-state simulation of pure Z_{2}, Z_{3}, and Z_{4} gauge theory, odd-Z_{2} gauge theories, and Z_{2} gauge theory coupled to hard-core bosons, on square lattices up to 32×32. Furthermore, we demonstrate that it allows for accurate simulations of real-time dynamics up to long time, exemplified by the dynamics of elementary excitations of the deconfined Z_{2} gauge field at 10×10. This is also the first example of simulating the real-time dynamics of PEPS with variational Monte Carlo, whose impact may extend beyond gauge theory. Our Letter establishes gauge-invariant PEPS as a powerful approach for both ground-state and dynamical simulations, opening up a new avenue for nonperturbatively studying (2+1)D LGTs.
Variational minimization of tensor network states enables the exploration of low energy states of lattice gauge theories. However, the exact numerical evaluation of high-dimensional tensor network states remains challenging in general. In [E. Zohar and J. I. Cirac, Phys. Rev. D 97, 034510 (2018)] it was shown how, by combining gauged Gaussian projected entangled pair states with a variational Monte Carlo procedure, it is possible to efficiently compute physical observables. In this paper we demonstrate how this approach can be used to investigate numerically the ground state of a lattice gauge theory. More concretely, we explicitly carry out the variational Monte Carlo procedure based on such contraction methods for a pure gauge Kogut-Susskind Hamiltonian with a
Z3 gauge field in two spatial dimensions. This is a first proof of principle to the method, which provides an inherent way to increase the number of variational parameters and can be readily extended to systems with physical fermions.
Gauge theories form the basis of our understanding of modern physics—ranging from the description of quarks and gluons to effective models in condensed matter physics. In the nonperturbative regime, gauge theories are conventionally treated discretely as lattice gauge theories. The resulting systems are evaluated with path-integral based Monte Carlo methods. These methods, however, can suffer from the sign problem and do not allow for a direct evaluation of real-time dynamics. In this work, we present a unified and comprehensive framework for gauged Gaussian projected entangled pair states (PEPS), a variational ansatz based on tensor networks. We review the construction of Hamiltonian lattice gauge theories, explain their similarities to PEPS, and detail the construction of the ansatz state. The estimation of ground states is based on a variational Monte Carlo procedure with the PEPS as an ansatz state. This sign-problem-free ansatz can be efficiently evaluated in any dimension with arbitrary gauge groups, and can include dynamical fermionic matter, suggesting new options for the simulation of nonperturbative regimes of gauge theories, including quantum chromodynamics. Published by the American Physical Society 2024
The simulation of lattice gauge theories with tensor network (TN) methods is becoming increasingly fruitful. The vision is that such methods will, eventually, be used to simulate theories in (
3+1) dimensions in regimes difficult for other methods. So far, however, TN methods have mostly simulated lattice gauge theories in (
1+1) dimensions. The aim of this paper is to explore the simulation of quantum electrodynamics (QED) on infinite lattices with TNs, i.e., fermionic matter fields coupled to a
U(1) gauge field, directly in the thermodynamic limit. With this idea in mind we first consider a gauge-invariant infinite density matrix renormalization group simulation of the Schwinger model---i.e., QED in
(1+1) d. After giving a precise description of the numerical method, we benchmark our simulations by computing the subtracted chiral condensate in the continuum, in good agreement with other approaches. Our simulations of the Schwinger model allow us to build intuition about how a simulation should proceed in (
2+1) dimensions. Based on this, we propose a variational ansatz using infinite projected entangled pair states (PEPS) to describe the ground state of
(2+1) d QED. The ansatz includes
U(1) gauge symmetry at the level of the tensors, as well as fermionic (matter) and bosonic (gauge) degrees of freedom both at the physical and virtual levels. We argue that all the necessary ingredients for the simulation of
(2+1) d QED are, a priori, already in place, paving the way for future upcoming results.
Reliably simulating two-dimensional many-body quantum dynamics with projected entangled pair states (PEPS) has long been a difficult challenge. In this work, we overcome this barrier for low-energy quantum dynamics by developing a stable and efficient time-dependent variational Monte Carlo (tVMC) framework for PEPS. By analytically removing all gauge redundancies of the PEPS manifold and exploiting tensor locality, we obtain a numerically well-conditioned tVMC equation. This enables long-time evolution in previously inaccessible regimes. We explain how the difficulties in the traditional approach, particularly those associated with gauge redundancies, are resolved within tVMC. We demonstrate the power and generality of the method through five representative real-time local quench dynamics in two dimensions: (I) chiral edge propagation in a free-fermion Chern insulator; (II) vison propagation in a pure Z2 gauge theory; (III) vison confinement dynamics in a Z2 lattice gauge theory coupled to Higgs field; (IV) fractionalized charge transport in a fractional Chern insulator; and (V) superfluidity and critical velocity in interacting bosons. All simulations are performed on >= 10 x 10 lattices with evolution times beyond T = 10 using modest computational resources. In addition, we also simulate the paradigmatic dynamics of the Ising model following a global quench at the critical transverse field, and obtain, with modest bond dimension, agreement with previous results. The method significantly extends the reach of classical tensor-network simulations for studying elementary excitations in quantum many-body systems in real-time and provides a valuable computational counterpart to emerging quantum simulators. As a by-product in the development, we also present a new form of minSR, which is more stable and offers a new perspective on tVMC.
Tensor network states, and in particular projected entangled pair states (PEPS) have been a strong ansatz for the variational study of complicated quantum many-body systems, thanks to their built-in entanglement entropy area law. In this work, we use a special kind of PEPS---gauged Gaussian fermionic PEPS (GGFPEPS)---to find the ground state of
2+1 dimensional pure
Z2 lattice gauge theories for a wide range of coupling constants. We do so by combining PEPS methods with Monte-Carlo computations, allowing for efficient contraction of the PEPS and computation of correlation functions. Previously, such numerical computations involved the calculation of the Pfaffian of a matrix scaling with the system size, forming a severe bottleneck; in this work we show how to overcome this problem. This paves the way for applying the method we propose and benchmark here to other gauge groups, higher dimensions, and models with fermionic matter, in an efficient, sign-problem-free way.
Reliably simulating two-dimensional many-body quantum dynamics with projected entangled pair states (PEPS) has long been a difficult challenge. In this work, we overcome this barrier for low-energy quantum dynamics by developing a stable and efficient time-dependent variational Monte Carlo (tVMC) framework for PEPS. By analytically removing all gauge redundancies of the PEPS manifold and exploiting tensor locality, we obtain a numerically well-conditioned tVMC equation, yielding robust solutions using the efficient Cholesky decomposition. This enables long-time evolution in previously inaccessible regimes. We explain how the difficulties in the traditional approach, particularly those associated with gauge redundancies, are resolved within tVMC. We demonstrate the power and generality of the method through five representative real-time local quench dynamics in two dimensions: (I) chiral edge propagation in a free-fermion Chern insulator; (II) vison propagation in a pure Z 2 gauge theory; (III) vison confinement dynamics in a Z 2 lattice gauge theory coupled to Higgs field; (IV) fractionalized charge transport in a fractional Chern insulator; and (V) superfluidity and critical velocity in interacting bosons. All simulations are performed on ≥ 10 × 10 lattices with evolution times beyond T = 10 using modest computational resources. Where exact benchmarks exist (case I), PEPS-tVMC matches free-fermion dynamics with high accuracy up to T = 12 . In addition, we also simulate the paradigmatic dynamics of the Ising model following a global quench at the critical transverse field, and obtain, with modest bond dimension, agreement with previous results. These results demonstrate PEPS-tVMC as a practical and versatile tool for real-time quantum dynamics in two dimensions. The method significantly extends the reach of classical tensor-network simulations for studying elementary excitations in quantum many-body systems in real time and provides a valuable computational counterpart to emerging quantum simulators. As a by-product in the development, we also present a new form of minSR, which is more stable and offers a new perspective on tVMC.