Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

arXiv:2607.02894 · Chinese Physics C

Digital Quantum Simulation of Nonequilibrium Dynamics in the Schwinger Model under a Strong External Electric Field

Haobin Chen, Lin Cheng, Xingyu Guo

hep-lathep-phquant-phSubmitted Jul 3, 2026• Announced Jul 6, 2026• 0 citations• Revised Oct 12, 2026 (v2)
v1 · Jul 3, 2026v2 · Oct 12, 2026
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

We use the (1+1)-dimensional Schwinger model to investigate the nonequilibrium dynamics of a finite lattice system under a constant external electric field. The lattice Hamiltonian is constructed under open boundary conditions. The vacuum state is prepared using the variational quantum eigensolver (VQE). Scans over the external field strength show the flip of the vacuum state at several field strengths. The critical field strengths agree with theoretical predictions. We further investigate the real-time evolution of the zero-field vacuum under an external electric field using a second-order Trotter-Suzuki decomposition. By comparison with exact diagonalization (ED), we verify that the quantum-simulation protocol reproduces the main features of field-induced boundary charge separation, decay of the vacuum-state fidelity, and quasiperiodic energy redistribution between the electric-field energy term and the fermionic sector. Our results indicate that combining VQE-based state preparation with digital real-time evolution provides a useful approach for studying nonequilibrium dynamics in strong-field lattice gauge theories.

Comments
14 pages, 11 figures, minor revisions

Related papers

Real-time dynamics of the Schwinger model via variational quantum algorithms

Lento Nagano, Aniruddha Bapat, C. Bauer

In this article we investigate the real-time dynamics in the $(1+1)$-dimensional $U(1)$ gauge theory called the Schwinger model by using variational quantum algorithms. Specifically, we first prepare the ground state of the Hamiltonian without external electric field via the variational quantum eigensolver, and then perform real-time evolution under the Hamiltonian in the presence of the external field using the variational quantum simulation method. The same ansatz is used for both algorithms which reduces the overall depth of the quantum circuit. We test our protocol by using a noiseless statevector simulator and confirm that results from the quantum algorithms are consistent with those obtained by exact diagonalization. This article summarizes our previous work [1].

International Symposium on Lattice Field Theory (LATTICE)•May 4, 2024•0 citations

Quench dynamics of the Schwinger model via variational quantum algorithms

Lento Nagano, Aniruddha Bapat, C. Bauer

We investigate the real-time dynamics of the ($1+1$)-dimensional U(1) gauge theory known as the Schwinger model via variational quantum algorithms. Specifically, we simulate quench dynamics in the presence of an external electric field. First, we use a variational quantum eigensolver to obtain the ground state of the system in the absence of an external field. With this as the initial state, we perform real-time evolution under an external field via a fixed-depth, parameterized circuit whose parameters are updated using McLachlan's variational principle. We use the same ansatz for initial-state preparation and time evolution, by which we are able to reduce the overall circuit depth. We test our method with a classical simulator and confirm that the results agree well with exact diagonalization.

arXiv:2302.10933•Physical review. D/Physical review. D.•Aug 2, 2023•26 citations

Digital Quantum Simulation of the Schwinger Model with Topological Term via Adiabatic State Preparation

Bipasha Chakraborty, Masazumi Honda, Taku Izubuchi +2 more

We perform a digital quantum simulation of a gauge theory with a topological term in Minkowski spacetime, which is practically inaccessible by standard lattice Monte Carlo simulations. We focus on $1+1$ dimensional quantum electrodynamics with the $\theta$-term known as the Schwinger model. We construct the true vacuum state of a lattice Schwinger model using adiabatic state preparation which, in turn, allows us to compute an expectation value of the fermion mass operator with respect to the vacuum. Upon taking a continuum limit we find that our result in massless case agrees with the known exact result. In massive case, we find an agreement with mass perturbation theory in small mass regime and deviations in large mass regime. We estimate computational costs required to take a reasonable continuum limit. Our results imply that digital quantum simulation is already useful tool to explore non-perturbative aspects of gauge theories with real time and topological terms.

•Jan 2, 2020•18 citations

Classically Emulated Digital Quantum Simulation of the Schwinger Model with Topological Term via Adiabatic State Preparation

Bipasha Chakraborty, Masazumi Honda, Taku Izubuchi +2 more

We perform a digital quantum simulation of a gauge theory with a topological term in Minkowski spacetime, which is practically inaccessible by standard lattice Monte Carlo simulations. We focus on $1+1$ dimensional quantum electrodynamics with the $θ$-term known as the Schwinger model. We construct the true vacuum state of a lattice Schwinger model using adiabatic state preparation which, in turn, allows us to compute an expectation value of the fermion mass operator with respect to the vacuum. Upon taking a continuum limit we find that our result in massless case agrees with the known exact result. In massive case, we find an agreement with mass perturbation theory in small mass regime and deviations in large mass regime. We estimate computational costs required to take a reasonable continuum limit. Our results imply that digital quantum simulation is already useful tool to explore non-perturbative aspects of gauge theories with real time and topological terms.

arXiv:2001.00485•Jan 2, 2020•3 citations

Digital Quantum Simulation for Energy Spectroscopy of Schwinger Model

Masazumi Honda, Dongwook Ghim

We discuss a method to efficiently compute energy spectra in quantum field theories by digital quantum simulation. We utilize a quantum algorithm called coherent imaging spectroscopy which quenches the ground state with a perturbation oscillating periodically in time for various frequencies and then reads off excited energy levels from values of frequencies having loss of the vacuum-to-vacuum probability by the quench. We demonstrate this method in the Schwinger model which is the (1+1)-dimensional quantum electrodynamics with a topological term. In particular, the ground state of the Schwinger model on lattice is prepared by adiabatic state preparation and then we apply various types of quenches to the approximate ground state via Suzuki-Trotter time evolution. We benchmark the types of quenches and argue their (dis)advantages especially in the context of studying quantum field theories. We also estimate the computational complexity to obtain physically reasonable results which likely implies efficiency of the method in the early fault-tolerant quantum computer era

Conference on Quark Confinement and the Hadron Spectrum (Confinement)•Oct 24, 2025•0 citations

Digital Quantum Simulation for Spectroscopy of Schwinger Model

Dongwook Ghim, Masazumi Honda

This note discusses a method for computing the energy spectra of quantum field theory utilizing digital quantum simulation. A quantum algorithm, called coherent imaging spectroscopy, quenches the vacuum with a time-oscillating perturbation and then reads off the excited energy levels from the loss in the vacuum-to-vacuum probability following the quench. As a practical demonstration, we apply this algorithm to the (1+1)-dimensional quantum electrodynamics with a topological term known as the Schwinger model, where the conventional Monte Carlo approach is practically inaccessible. In particular, on a classical simulator, we prepare the vacuum of the Schwinger model on a lattice by adiabatic state preparation and then apply various types of quenches to the approximate vacuum through Suzuki-Trotter time evolution. We discuss the dependence of the simulation results on the specific types of quenches and introduce various consistency checks, including the exact diagonalization and the continuum limit extrapolation. The estimation of the computational complexity required to obtain physically reasonable results implies that the method is likely efficient in the coming era of early fault-tolerant quantum computers.

arXiv:2404.14788•International Symposium on Lattice Field Theory (LATTICE)•May 4, 2024•7 citations
We use the (1+1)-dimensional Schwinger model to investigate the nonequilibrium dynamics of a finite lattice system under a constant external electric field. The lattice Hamiltonian is constructed under open boundary conditions. The vacuum state is prepared using the variational quantum eigensolver (VQE). Scans over the external field strength show the flip of the vacuum state at several field strengths. The critical field strengths agree with theoretical predictions. We further investigate the real-time evolution of the zero-field vacuum under an external electric field using a second-order Trotter-Suzuki decomposition. By comparison with exact diagonalization (ED), we verify that the quantum-simulation protocol reproduces the main features of field-induced boundary charge separation, decay of the vacuum-state fidelity, and quasiperiodic energy redistribution between the electric-field energy term and the fermionic sector. Our results indicate that combining VQE-based state preparation with digital real-time evolution provides a useful approach for studying nonequilibrium dynamics in strong-field lattice gauge theories.
In this article we investigate the real-time dynamics in the (1+1)(1+1)(1+1)-dimensional U(1)U(1)U(1) gauge theory called the Schwinger model by using variational quantum algorithms. Specifically, we first prepare the ground state of the Hamiltonian without external electric field via the variational quantum eigensolver, and then perform real-time evolution under the Hamiltonian in the presence of the external field using the variational quantum simulation method. The same ansatz is used for both algorithms which reduces the overall depth of the quantum circuit. We test our protocol by using a noiseless statevector simulator and confirm that results from the quantum algorithms are consistent with those obtained by exact diagonalization. This article summarizes our previous work [1].
We investigate the real-time dynamics of the (1+11+11+1)-dimensional U(1) gauge theory known as the Schwinger model via variational quantum algorithms. Specifically, we simulate quench dynamics in the presence of an external electric field. First, we use a variational quantum eigensolver to obtain the ground state of the system in the absence of an external field. With this as the initial state, we perform real-time evolution under an external field via a fixed-depth, parameterized circuit whose parameters are updated using McLachlan's variational principle. We use the same ansatz for initial-state preparation and time evolution, by which we are able to reduce the overall circuit depth. We test our method with a classical simulator and confirm that the results agree well with exact diagonalization.
We perform a digital quantum simulation of a gauge theory with a topological term in Minkowski spacetime, which is practically inaccessible by standard lattice Monte Carlo simulations. We focus on 1+11+11+1 dimensional quantum electrodynamics with the θ\thetaθ-term known as the Schwinger model. We construct the true vacuum state of a lattice Schwinger model using adiabatic state preparation which, in turn, allows us to compute an expectation value of the fermion mass operator with respect to the vacuum. Upon taking a continuum limit we find that our result in massless case agrees with the known exact result. In massive case, we find an agreement with mass perturbation theory in small mass regime and deviations in large mass regime. We estimate computational costs required to take a reasonable continuum limit. Our results imply that digital quantum simulation is already useful tool to explore non-perturbative aspects of gauge theories with real time and topological terms.
We perform a digital quantum simulation of a gauge theory with a topological term in Minkowski spacetime, which is practically inaccessible by standard lattice Monte Carlo simulations. We focus on 1+11+11+1 dimensional quantum electrodynamics with the θθθ-term known as the Schwinger model. We construct the true vacuum state of a lattice Schwinger model using adiabatic state preparation which, in turn, allows us to compute an expectation value of the fermion mass operator with respect to the vacuum. Upon taking a continuum limit we find that our result in massless case agrees with the known exact result. In massive case, we find an agreement with mass perturbation theory in small mass regime and deviations in large mass regime. We estimate computational costs required to take a reasonable continuum limit. Our results imply that digital quantum simulation is already useful tool to explore non-perturbative aspects of gauge theories with real time and topological terms.
We discuss a method to efficiently compute energy spectra in quantum field theories by digital quantum simulation. We utilize a quantum algorithm called coherent imaging spectroscopy which quenches the ground state with a perturbation oscillating periodically in time for various frequencies and then reads off excited energy levels from values of frequencies having loss of the vacuum-to-vacuum probability by the quench. We demonstrate this method in the Schwinger model which is the (1+1)-dimensional quantum electrodynamics with a topological term. In particular, the ground state of the Schwinger model on lattice is prepared by adiabatic state preparation and then we apply various types of quenches to the approximate ground state via Suzuki-Trotter time evolution. We benchmark the types of quenches and argue their (dis)advantages especially in the context of studying quantum field theories. We also estimate the computational complexity to obtain physically reasonable results which likely implies efficiency of the method in the early fault-tolerant quantum computer era
This note discusses a method for computing the energy spectra of quantum field theory utilizing digital quantum simulation. A quantum algorithm, called coherent imaging spectroscopy, quenches the vacuum with a time-oscillating perturbation and then reads off the excited energy levels from the loss in the vacuum-to-vacuum probability following the quench. As a practical demonstration, we apply this algorithm to the (1+1)-dimensional quantum electrodynamics with a topological term known as the Schwinger model, where the conventional Monte Carlo approach is practically inaccessible. In particular, on a classical simulator, we prepare the vacuum of the Schwinger model on a lattice by adiabatic state preparation and then apply various types of quenches to the approximate vacuum through Suzuki-Trotter time evolution. We discuss the dependence of the simulation results on the specific types of quenches and introduce various consistency checks, including the exact diagonalization and the continuum limit extrapolation. The estimation of the computational complexity required to obtain physically reasonable results implies that the method is likely efficient in the coming era of early fault-tolerant quantum computers.