Analog Quantum Simulations in Trapped-Ion Spin Chains

Laser cooled trapped ions offer unprecedented control over both internal and external degrees of freedom at the single-particle level. They are considered among the foremost candidates for realizing quantum simulation and computation platforms that can outperform classical computers in specific tasks. In this talk I will show how linear arrays of trapped 171Yb+ ions can be used as a versatile platform for studying out-of-equilibrium many-body quantum systems. I will show how linear ion chains [1] enabled the recent observation of universal non-equilibrium spin dynamics after multiple quenches [2]. In this case the spin system exhibits different system size scalings of the spin fluctuations dynamics depending on the different initial states and on the number of quenches [3]. Finally, I will conclude outlining the prospects of my new experimental system at Rice aimed at the simulation of dissipative Floquet dynamics [4] and at the realization of higher order spin interactions for the simulation of lattice gauge theories [5].

[1] G. Pagano, et al., Quantum Sci. Technol., 4, 014004 (2019)

[2] A. De, et al., in preparation (2023)

[3] M. Maghrebi, P. Titum, Phys. Rev. Lett. 125, 040602 (2020)

[4] P. Sierant, et al., Quantum 6, 638 (2022)

[5] B. Andrade, et al., Quantum Sci. Technol., 7, 034001 (2022)