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Observation of supersymmetry and its spontaneous breaking in a trapped ion quantum simulator

Author

Listed:
  • M.-L. Cai

    (Tsinghua University
    HYQ Co., Ltd)

  • Y.-K. Wu

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Q.-X. Mei

    (Tsinghua University)

  • W.-D. Zhao

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Y. Jiang

    (Tsinghua University)

  • L. Yao

    (Tsinghua University
    HYQ Co., Ltd)

  • L. He

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Z.-C. Zhou

    (Tsinghua University
    Beijing Academy of Quantum Information Sciences)

  • L.-M. Duan

    (Tsinghua University)

Abstract

Supersymmetry (SUSY) helps solve the hierarchy problem in high-energy physics and provides a natural groundwork for unifying gravity with other fundamental interactions. While being one of the most promising frameworks for theories beyond the Standard Model, its direct experimental evidence in nature still remains to be discovered. Here we report experimental realization of a supersymmetric quantum mechanics (SUSY QM) model, a reduction of the SUSY quantum field theory for studying its fundamental properties, using a trapped ion quantum simulator. We demonstrate the energy degeneracy caused by SUSY in this model and the spontaneous SUSY breaking. By a partial quantum state tomography of the spin-phonon coupled system, we explicitly measure the supercharge of the degenerate ground states, which are superpositions of the bosonic and the fermionic states. Our work demonstrates the trapped-ion quantum simulator as an economic yet powerful platform to study versatile physics in a single well-controlled system.

Suggested Citation

  • M.-L. Cai & Y.-K. Wu & Q.-X. Mei & W.-D. Zhao & Y. Jiang & L. Yao & L. He & Z.-C. Zhou & L.-M. Duan, 2022. "Observation of supersymmetry and its spontaneous breaking in a trapped ion quantum simulator," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-7, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-022-31058-0
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31058-0
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Pengfei Wang & Chun-Yang Luan & Mu Qiao & Mark Um & Junhua Zhang & Ye Wang & Xiao Yuan & Mile Gu & Jingning Zhang & Kihwan Kim, 2021. "Single ion qubit with estimated coherence time exceeding one hour," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-8, December.
    2. R. Gerritsma & G. Kirchmair & F. Zähringer & E. Solano & R. Blatt & C. F. Roos, 2010. "Quantum simulation of the Dirac equation," Nature, Nature, vol. 463(7277), pages 68-71, January.
    3. C. Kokail & C. Maier & R. van Bijnen & T. Brydges & M. K. Joshi & P. Jurcevic & C. A. Muschik & P. Silvi & R. Blatt & C. F. Roos & P. Zoller, 2019. "Self-verifying variational quantum simulation of lattice models," Nature, Nature, vol. 569(7756), pages 355-360, May.
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