Quantum simulations of the early universe

TL;DR

This paper proposes using a spinor Bose condensate as a quantum simulator for early universe phenomena, specifically modeling unstable vacuums and inflationary dynamics through analogs of quantum field theories.

Contribution

It introduces a novel method to simulate early universe quantum field dynamics using accessible Bose condensate experiments, linking condensed matter physics with cosmology.

Findings

Numerical simulations show formation of complex spatial clusters.

Dependence of dynamics on coupling strength, size, and dimensionality.

Evidence supports the feasibility of simulating inflationary vacuum phenomena.

Abstract

A procedure is described whereby a linearly coupled spinor Bose condensate can be used as a physically accessible quantum simulator of the early universe. In particular, an experiment to generate an analog of an unstable vacuum in a relativistic scalar field theory is proposed. This is related to quantum theories of the inflationary phase of the early universe. There is an unstable vacuum sector whose dynamics correspond to the quantum sine-Gordon equations in one, two or three space dimensions. Numerical simulations of the expected behavior are reported using a truncated Wigner phase-space method, giving evidence for the dynamical formation of complex spatial clusters. Preliminary results showing the dependence on coupling strength, condensate size and dimensionality are obtained.