Quantum simulation of the wavefunction to probe frustrated Heisenberg spin systems
- Author(s)
- Xiaosong Ma, Borivoje Dakic, William Naylor, Anton Zeilinger, Philip Walther
- Abstract
Quantum simulators are controllable quantum systems that can reproduce the dynamics of the system of interest in situations that are not amenable to classical computers. Recent developments in quantum technology enable the precise control of individual quantum particles as required for studying complex quantum systems. In particular, quantum simulators capable of simulating frustrated Heisenberg spin systems provide platforms for understanding exotic matter such as high-temperature superconductors. Here we report the analogue quantum simulation of the ground-state wavefunction to probe arbitrary Heisenberg-type interactions among four spin-1/2 particles. Depending on the interaction strength, frustration within the system emerges such that the ground state evolves from a localized to a resonating-valence-bond state. This spin-1/2 tetramer is created using the polarization states of four photons. The single-particle addressability and tunable measurement-induced interactions provide us with insights into entanglement dynamics among individual particles. We directly extract ground-state energies and pairwise quantum correlations to observe the monogamy of entanglement.
- Organisation(s)
- Quantum Optics, Quantum Nanophysics and Quantum Information
- External organisation(s)
- Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften (ÖAW)
- Journal
- Nature Physics
- Volume
- 7
- Pages
- 399-405
- No. of pages
- 7
- ISSN
- 1745-2473
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/nphys1919
- Publication date
- 05-2011
- Peer reviewed
- Yes
- Austrian Fields of Science 2012
- 103026 Quantum optics
- Keywords
- Portal url
- https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/65b1aa7e-4df8-494a-a1e7-6deda58c8b2f