Quantum-Classical Computation of Schwinger Model Dynamics using Quantum Computers

TL;DR

This paper introduces a hybrid quantum-classical algorithm to simulate the Schwinger model's dynamics on quantum computers, optimizing resource use by exploiting symmetries to exclude unphysical sectors, paving the way for studying more complex quantum field theories.

Contribution

The authors develop a symmetry-based reduction technique for simulating lattice quantum field theories on quantum computers, significantly decreasing qubit requirements and enabling exploration of larger systems.

Findings

Reduced qubit count by a factor of ~5 using symmetry considerations

Demonstrated feasibility of simulating Schwinger model dynamics on IBM quantum hardware

Opened pathways for simulating more complex theories like QCD

Abstract

We present a quantum-classical algorithm to study the dynamics of the two-spatial-site Schwinger model on IBM's quantum computers. Using rotational symmetries, total charge, and parity, the number of qubits needed to perform computation is reduced by a factor of $\sim 5$, removing exponentially-large unphysical sectors from the Hilbert space. Our work opens an avenue for exploration of other lattice quantum field theories, such as quantum chromodynamics, where classical computation is used to find symmetry sectors in which the quantum computer evaluates the dynamics of quantum fluctuations.