Interplay between disorder and topology in Thouless pumping on a superconducting quantum processor

Yu Liu, Yu-Ran Zhang, Yun-Hao Shi, Tao Liu, Congwei Lu, Yong-Yi Wang, Hao Li, Tian-Ming Li, Cheng-Lin Deng, Si-Yun Zhou, Tong Liu, Jia-Chi Zhang, Gui-Han Liang, Zheng-Yang Mei, Wei-Guo Ma, Hao-Tian Liu, Zheng-He Liu, Chi-Tong Chen, Kaixuan Huang, Xiaohui Song, S. P. Zhao, Ye Tian, Zhongcheng Xiang (), Dongning Zheng, Franco Nori, Kai Xu () and Heng Fan ()
Additional contact information
Yu Liu: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yu-Ran Zhang: South China University of Technology
Yun-Hao Shi: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Tao Liu: South China University of Technology
Congwei Lu: Beijing Normal University
Yong-Yi Wang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Hao Li: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Tian-Ming Li: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Cheng-Lin Deng: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Si-Yun Zhou: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Tong Liu: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Jia-Chi Zhang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Gui-Han Liang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Zheng-Yang Mei: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Wei-Guo Ma: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Hao-Tian Liu: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Zheng-He Liu: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Chi-Tong Chen: Quantum Science Center for Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area
Kaixuan Huang: Beijing Academy of Quantum Information Sciences
Xiaohui Song: Chinese Academy of Sciences
S. P. Zhao: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Ye Tian: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Zhongcheng Xiang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Dongning Zheng: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Franco Nori: Cluster for Pioneering Research, RIKEN
Kai Xu: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Heng Fan: Chinese Academy of Sciences

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract Topological phases are robust against weak perturbations, but break down when disorder becomes sufficiently strong. However, moderate disorder can also induce topologically nontrivial phases. Thouless pumping, as a (1+1)D counterpart of the integer quantum Hall effect, is one of the simplest manifestations of topology. Here, we report experimental observations of the competition and interplay between Thouless pumping and disorder on a 41-qubit superconducting quantum processor. We improve a Floquet engineering technique to realize cycles of adiabatic pumping by simultaneously varying the on-site potentials and the hopping couplings. We demonstrate Thouless pumping in the presence of disorder and show its breakdown as the strength of disorder increases. Moreover, we observe two types of topological pumping that are induced by on-site potential disorder and hopping disorder, respectively. In particular, an intrinsic topological pump that is induced by quasi-periodic hopping disorder has never been experimentally realized before. Our highly controllable system provides a valuable quantum simulating platform for studying various aspects of topological physics in the presence of disorder.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-55343-2

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