Simulating a quantum magnet with trapped ions

Kevin Gilmore, Justin Bohnet, J. E. Jordan +4 more

Crystal Senko

Robert Clark, Ziliang Carter Lin, Kenan S. Diab +1 more

Two-dimensional crystals of trapped ions are a promising system with which to implement quantum simulations of challenging problems such as spin frustration. Here, we present a design for a surface-electrode elliptical ion trap which produces a 2-D ion crystal and is amenable to microfabrication, which would enable higher simulated coupling rates, as well as interactions based on magnetic forces generated by currents which may be incorporated into the trap structure. Working in an 11 K cryogenic environment, we experimentally verify to within 10% a numerical model of the structure of ion crystals in the trap, given the measured trap anisotropy. We also explore the possibility of implementing quantum simulation using magnetic forces, and calculate J-coupling rates on the order of 103 s-1 for a trap scale of 10 μm, using a current of 1 A.

Tobias Graß, Maciej Lewenstein, A. Bermúdez

We present a route towards the quantum simulation of exotic quantum magnetism in ion traps by exploiting dual relations between different spin models. Our strategy allows one to start from Hamiltonians that can be realized with current technology, while properties of an exotic dual model are inferred from measurements of non-local, string-order-like, operators. The latter can be achieved from fluorescence, or from certain spectroscopic measurements, both of which can be combined with finite-size scaling by controlling the number of ions in the dual quantum simulator. We apply this concept to propose quantum simulators of frustrated quantum magnets, and Ising models with multi-spin interactions. We test the validity of the idea by showing numerically that the predictions of an ideal dual quantum simulator are not qualitatively modified by relevant perturbations that occur naturally in the trapped-ion scenario.

S.K. Haendel, Danilo Dadic, Michael S. Ip +1 more

Kihwan Kim, S. É. Korenblit, Rajibul Islam +9 more

Crystals of trapped atomic ions are among the most promising platforms for the quantum simulation of many-body quantum physics. Here, we describe recent developments in the simulation of quantum magnetic spin models with trapped 171 Yb + ions, and discuss the possibility of scaling the system to a level of complexity where classical computation becomes intractable.