Experimental simulation of Dirac equation in superconducting qubits

Abstract

The Dirac equation elucidates fundamental physical principles and predicts significant physical phenomena. Its simulation further offers explanations for subsequent physics observations. We map the 3+1-dimensional Dirac equation onto the first excited manifold of four qubits to simulate the internal four-component spinor dynamics. Additionally, we simulate two intriguing and challenging-to-implement physical phenomena: the Zitterbewegung effect and the Sauter-Schwinger effect. Compared to previous simulations, our system provides a larger parameter space, allowing for a more comprehensive exploration of physical properties. This work enhances our understanding of spinor dynamics. The Dirac equation, one of the most fundamental equations in relativistic quantum mechanics, has influenced diverse research fields. The authors demonstrate an analogue simulation of the 3+1-dimensional Dirac equation by applying parametric modulations in superconducting circuits.