1Joint Quantum Institute and Joint Center for Quantum Information and Computer
Science, University of Maryland Department of Physics and National Institute of
Standards and Technology, College Park, MD 20742
E-mail: pagano@umd.edu
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 at specific tasks. In this talk I will show how
linear arrays of trapped 171Yb+ ions can be used as a versatile platform for studying
quantum dynamics of strongly correlated many-body quantum systems.
In particular I will describe how to realize time-crystalline phases in a Floquet setting,
where the spin system exhibits persistent time-correlations under Many-bodylocalized
dynamics [1]. I will also present our observation of a new type of out-ofequilibrium
dynamical phase transition in a spin system with over 50 spins [2].
Moreover I will show our latest efforts towards scaling up the trapped-ion quantum
simulator [3] using a cryo-pumped vacuum chamber where we can trap more than
100 ions indefinitely. The reliable production and lifetime of large linear ion chains
enabled us to investigate quasi-particle excitations showing confinement in the
quench dynamics [4] and the implementation of Quantum Approximate Optimization
Algorithms (QAOA) with up to 40 spins [5].
References:
[1] J. Zhang et al., Nature, 543, 217 (2017)
[2] J. Zhang, G. Pagano, et al., Nature, 551, 601 (2017)
[3] G. Pagano et al., Quantum Sci. Technol., 4, 014004 (2019)
[4] F. Liu, et al., arXiv 1810.02365 (2018)
[5] G.Pagano, et al., (in preparation 2019)