Quantum Meet Quantum: Hybrid Quantum Computer Lets Scientists Peak in on Foundational Quantum Effect

Oxford physicists used a hybrid quantum computer combining qubits and quantum oscillators to observe the Aharonov–Bohm effect in a simulation of interactions between matter and gauge fields. Encoding magnetic flux in entangled qubits caused destructive interference between two paths around a simulated loop, completely suppressing a matter particle’s tunnelling. The study demonstrates how hybrid quantum systems can simulate fundamental interactions that become increasingly difficult to model on classical computers. Image: Artist’s illustration of the loop formed by the hybrid…