Quantum Kibble–Zurek mechanism and critical dynamics on a programmable Rydberg simulator

Alexander Keesling, Ahmed Omran, Harry Levine, Hannes Bernien, Hannes Pichler, Soonwon Choi, Rhine Samajdar, Sylvain Schwartz, Pietro Silvi, Subir Sachdev, Peter Zoller, Manuel Endres, Markus Greiner, Vladan Vuletić and Mikhail D. Lukin ()
Additional contact information
Alexander Keesling: Harvard University
Ahmed Omran: Harvard University
Harry Levine: Harvard University
Hannes Bernien: Harvard University
Hannes Pichler: Harvard University
Soonwon Choi: Harvard University
Rhine Samajdar: Harvard University
Sylvain Schwartz: Laboratoire Kastler Brossel, ENS, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Collège de France
Pietro Silvi: Austrian Academy of Sciences
Subir Sachdev: Harvard University
Peter Zoller: Austrian Academy of Sciences
Manuel Endres: California Institute of Technology
Markus Greiner: Harvard University
Vladan Vuletić: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Mikhail D. Lukin: Harvard University

Nature, 2019, vol. 568, issue 7751, 207-211

Abstract: Abstract Quantum phase transitions (QPTs) involve transformations between different states of matter that are driven by quantum fluctuations1. These fluctuations play a dominant part in the quantum critical region surrounding the transition point, where the dynamics is governed by the universal properties associated with the QPT. Although time-dependent phenomena associated with classical, thermally driven phase transitions have been extensively studied in systems ranging from the early Universe to Bose–Einstein condensates2–5, understanding critical real-time dynamics in isolated, non-equilibrium quantum systems remains a challenge6. Here we use a Rydberg atom quantum simulator with programmable interactions to study the quantum critical dynamics associated with several distinct QPTs. By studying the growth of spatial correlations when crossing the QPT, we experimentally verify the quantum Kibble–Zurek mechanism (QKZM)7–9 for an Ising-type QPT, explore scaling universality and observe corrections beyond QKZM predictions. This approach is subsequently used to measure the critical exponents associated with chiral clock models10,11, providing new insights into exotic systems that were not previously understood and opening the door to precision studies of critical phenomena, simulations of lattice gauge theories12,13 and applications to quantum optimization14,15.

Date: 2019
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DOI: 10.1038/s41586-019-1070-1

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