Quantum Rabi Model with Trapped Ions

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates how trapped ions can be used to simulate the quantum Rabi model across all parameter regimes, including ultrastrong and deep strong coupling, enabling exploration of complex light-matter interactions beyond natural dipolar systems.

Contribution

It introduces a method for quantum simulation of the full quantum Rabi model using trapped ions, surpassing previous limitations to the Jaynes-Cummings regime.

Findings

Simulation of ultrastrong coupling regime achieved

Controlled generation of entangled ground states demonstrated

Experimental investigation of beyond-rotating-wave approximation regimes

Abstract

We propose the quantum simulation of the quantum Rabi model in all parameter regimes by means of detuned bichromatic sideband excitations of a single trapped ion. We show that current setups can reproduce, in particular, the ultrastrong and deep strong coupling regimes of such a paradigmatic light-matter interaction. Furthermore, associated with these extreme dipolar regimes, we study the controlled generation and detection of their entangled ground states by means of adiabatic methods. Ion traps have arguably performed the first quantum simulation of the Jaynes-Cummings model, a restricted regime of the quantum Rabi model where the rotating-wave approximation holds. We show that one can go beyond and experimentally investigate the quantum simulation of coupling regimes of the quantum Rabi model that are difficult to achieve with natural dipolar interactions.