Experimental simulation of quantum tunneling in small systems

TL;DR

This paper reports the first experimental simulation of quantum tunneling using NMR techniques, demonstrating the ability of small quantum computers to observe complex quantum phenomena.

Contribution

It introduces a digital particle simulation algorithm for quantum tunneling that requires minimal qubits and no ancillary qubits, enabling practical experiments on small quantum systems.

Findings

Quantum tunneling observed through NMR simulation.

Oscillation of quantum states in potential wells demonstrated.

Feasibility of studying complex quantum phenomena with small quantum computers.

Abstract

It is well known that quantum computers are superior to classical computers in efficiently simulating quantum systems. Here we report the first experimental simulation of quantum tunneling through potential barriers, a widespread phenomenon of a unique quantum nature, via NMR techniques. Our experiment is based on a digital particle simulation algorithm and requires very few spin-1/2 nuclei without the need of ancillary qubits. The occurrence of quantum tunneling through a barrier, together with the oscillation of the state in potential wells, are clearly observed through the experimental results. This experiment has clearly demonstrated the possibility to observe and study profound physical phenomena within even the reach of small quantum computers.