Fractional Chern insulators (FCIs) are lattice analogues of fractional quantum Hall states, hosting topological order and fractionalized anyonic excitations. Their realization poses a demanding target for quantum simulation. Here, we realize a bosonic FCI on an IBM Nighthawk superconducting quantum processor using classically optimized variational circuits. We target a Laughlin-like state that is an exact zero-energy ground state of a long-range parent Hamiltonian on a torus, eliminating physical edges and providing a favorable geometry for accessing fractional quantum Hall physics in a small system. On a
4×4 qubit lattice, we prepare both the four-boson FCI ground state and a three-boson state hosting two quasiholes. Measurements of particle densities and correlations reproduce the characteristic structure of the target states, while reconstructed chiral magnetization currents resolve the circulating current pattern associated with the quasiholes. The preparation of these strongly correlated topological states with shallow circuits establishes a route toward the digital simulation and manipulation of fractionalized excitations, including measurements of topological invariants and anyonic braiding.
Integrability of electron dynamics in one dimension is manifested by the nonequilibrium stationary states. They emerge near a point contact coupling two quantum Hall edges with different chemical potentials. I use the nonequilibrium bosonization technique to show that the effective temperature of such states at the fractional quantum Hall edges has a universal linear dependence on the current through the contact. In contrast, the temperature at eventual equilibrium scales as the square root of the power dissipating at the point contact. I propose to use this distinction to detect these intriguing nonequilibrium states.
One of the manifestations of the integrability of electron dynamics in one dimension is the existence of non-equilibrium stationary states. Such states emerge near a quantum point contact coupling two quantum Hall edges with different chemical potentials. We use a non-equilibrium bosonization technique to show that the effective temperature in such states at the fractional quantum Hall edge has a universal linear dependence on the current through the contact. In contrast, the temperature of one-dimensional equilibrium systems scales as the square root of the corresponding dissipating power. This striking difference from the equilibrium behavior can be used to experimentally detect these unique non-equilibrium states.