SU(2) lattice gauge theory on a quantum annealer


Rahman, Sarmed A, Lewis, Randy, Mendicelli, Emanuele ORCID: 0000-0002-1927-2861 and Powell, Sarah (2021) SU(2) lattice gauge theory on a quantum annealer PHYSICAL REVIEW D, 104 (3). 034501-. ISSN 2470-0010, 2470-0029

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Abstract

Lattice gauge theory is an essential tool for strongly interacting non-Abelian fields, such as those in quantum chromodynamics where lattice results have been of central importance for several decades. Recent studies suggest that quantum computers could extend the reach of lattice gauge theory in dramatic ways, but the usefulness of quantum annealing hardware for lattice gauge theory has not yet been explored. In this work, we implement SU(2) pure gauge theory on a quantum annealer for lattices comprising a few plaquettes in a row with a periodic boundary condition. These plaquettes are in two spatial dimensions and calculations use the Hamiltonian formulation where time is not discretized. Numerical results are obtained from calculations on D-Wave Advantage hardware for eigenvalues, eigenvectors, vacuum expectation values, and time evolution. The success of this initial exploration indicates that the quantum annealer might become a useful hardware platform for some aspects of lattice gauge theories.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: 4902 Mathematical Physics, 5106 Nuclear and Plasma Physics, 51 Physical Sciences, 49 Mathematical Sciences
Divisions: Faculty of Science & Engineering > School of Physical Sciences
Depositing User: Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited: 11 Oct 2023 08:37
Last Modified: 28 Feb 2026 13:49
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.104.034501
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URI: https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3173585
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