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Particle physics

Quantum simulation of fundamental physics

Nature volume 534, pages 480–481 (2016)Cite this article

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Gauge theories underpin the standard model of particle physics, but are difficult to study using conventional computational methods. An experimental quantum system opens up fresh avenues of investigation. See Letter p.516

There are many questions still to be answered about the standard model of particle physics, which describes the fundamental forces and interactions of nature. On page 516, Martinez et al.1 report a pioneering experiment in which calcium ions that are trapped and controlled by electromagnetic fields form a quantum simulator of elementary particle physics. This is a first experimental step towards the use of quantum simulators to answer some of those outstanding questions.

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Figure 1: Quantum simulation of a gauge theory.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Erez Zohar is in the Theory Division, Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics, 85748 Garching, Germany.,

    Erez Zohar

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  1. Erez Zohar
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Correspondence to Erez Zohar.

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Zohar, E. Quantum simulation of fundamental physics. Nature 534, 480–481 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/534480a

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