PIF: Beyond Adiabatic State Preparation with Ultracold Trapped Ion Quantum Simulators

在20世纪80年代早期，理查德·费曼提出了一种新的计算方法，直接涉及量子力学效应，与传统的数字计算机本质上是经典的（每个比特有两个状态中的一个）不同。最近，实验小组已经开始用捕获离子量子模拟器实现这些费曼的想法。这些设备通过在受控的量子力学舞台上模拟粒子来模拟粒子的量子行为。这项拨款的工作重点是确定如何开展这些实验的下一代。它们是通过将激光照射到阱中的离子上来控制的，这些激光对离子施加的力取决于离子所处的量子态。这些力诱导振动进入离子的收集，这些振动可能是有害的模拟器的功能。这项工作将确定这些振动对计算的影响，并将开发理解和控制这些影响的方法。工作将与正在建造这些模拟器的两个实验小组密切合作进行。在此资助期间，将培训一名研究生。培训将有助于培养精通技术的劳动力。此外，还将对弗吉尼亚州阿灵顿学区的当地学校进行一些课堂访问，并介绍量子力学中的不同现象（小学的磁学和中学的双缝实验）。研究工作将侧重于模拟量子模拟的新范式，如果成功，可能会对未来新型计算技术的发展产生影响。

In the early 1980's, Richard Feynman proposed a new way to perform computation that directly involves quantum mechanical effects and differs from conventional digital computers that are classical in nature (having one of two states in each bit). Recently, experimental groups have started to realize these Feynman ideas with trapped ion quantum simulators. These devices mimic the quantum behavior of particles by simulating them in a controlled quantum-mechanical arena. The work in this grant focuses on determining how to carry out the next generation of these experiments. They are controlled by shining lasers onto the ions that are in the trap which apply forces onto the ions that depend on the quantum state the ion is in. These forces induce vibrations into the collection of ions, and these vibrations can be detrimental to the functioning of the simulator. This work will determine the effects of these vibrations on the computation and will develop methods to both understand and to control those effects. Work will be carried out in close collaboration with two experimental groups who are building these simulators.One graduate student will be trained during the period of this grant. The training will help develop the technologically savvy workforce. In addition, a number of classroom visits to local schools in the Arlington, VA school district will be undertaken and presentations will be made that cover different phenomena in quantum mechanics (magnetism for elementary school and the two-slit experiment for middle school). The research work will focus on new paradigms for analog quantum simulation which, if successful, could have an impact on developments of novel computing technologies in the future.