A scalable realization of local U(1) gauge invariance in cold atomic mixtures
Data files
Jan 07, 2020 version files 4.52 KB
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fig_2_data_lithium.csv
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fig_2_data_sodium.csv
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fig_3_data.csv
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fig_4_data_A.csv
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fig_4_data_B.csv
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fig_4_data_C.csv
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fig_4_data_D.csv
Abstract
In the fundamental laws of physics, gauge fields mediate the interaction between charged particles. An example is quantum electrodynamics -- the theory of electrons interacting with the electromagnetic field -- based on U(1) gauge symmetry. Solving such gauge theories is in general a hard problem for classical computational techniques. While quantum computers suggest a way forward, it is difficult to build large-scale digital quantum devices required for complex simulations. Here, we propose a fully scalable analog quantum simulator of a U(1) gauge theory in one spatial dimension. To engineer the local gauge symmetry, we employ inter-species spin-changing collisions in an atomic mixture. We demonstrate the experimental realization of the elementary building block as a key step towards a platform for large-scale quantum simulations of continuous gauge theories.