LMU physicist builds quantum systems to model complex physics

© Christoph Hohmann / MCQST · lmu.de Ludwig Maximilian University physicist Jad Halimeh is building quantum systems to explore some of the most complex phenomena in physics. Halimeh, recently appointed professor and member of the Munich cluster of excellence MCQST, crafts controlled experiments recreating exotic many-body physics, including the behavior of particles at points along a fine lattice. “We use quantum mechanics to build quantum simulators; these demonstrate exotic phenomena that are difficult to replicate on classical computers,” explains Halimeh, bridging theoretical equations with advances in quantum computing and simulation. His group recently used the Quantinuum System Model H2 chip to observe the dynamics of strings and glueballs in two spatial dimensions. This achievement builds on a strategy of directly recreating complex physical systems, employing analog quantum simulators built from ultracold atoms trapped in optical lattice cages constructed with laser light. Unlike digital quantum simulators using quantum logic operations, these analog systems embody the physics being studied, offering a distinct approach to tackling intractable problems in many-body quantum mechanics. The team’s work focuses on lattice gauge theories, a mathematical framework where space and time are discretized, allowing for the modeling of particle interactions like those involving quarks and gluons, Quantinuum…