Digital-Analog Quantum Simulation of Spin Models in Trapped Ions

TL;DR

This paper introduces a digital-analog quantum simulation method for spin models in trapped ions, reducing gate complexity and enhancing versatility compared to fully digital approaches, with a feasible experimental implementation.

Contribution

It presents a novel digital-analog approach for simulating spin models in trapped ions, combining analog blocks and digital steps to improve efficiency and flexibility.

Findings

Reduced number of gates needed compared to digital-only methods

Enhanced versatility through digital local operations

Feasible experimental implementation in trapped-ion systems

Abstract

We propose a method to simulate spin models in trapped ions using a digital-analog approach, consisting in a suitable gate decomposition in terms of analog blocks and digital steps. In this way, we show that the quantum dynamics of an enhanced variety of spin models could be implemented with substantially less number of gates than a fully digital approach. Typically, analog blocks are built of multipartite dynamics providing the complexity of the simulated model, while the digital steps are local operations bringing versatility to it. Finally, we describe a possible experimental implementation in trapped-ion technologies.