# Quantum simulating an experiment: Light interference from single ions and their mirror images

## TL;DR

This paper demonstrates the use of digital quantum simulation to replicate a light interference experiment involving a single ion and its mirror image, showing the feasibility of simulating complex atomic physics with minimal qubits.

## Contribution

The authors introduce a method to simulate light-matter interactions in atomic physics experiments using digital quantum simulation with as few as seven qubits.

## Key findings

- Successfully simulated interference patterns matching experimental results
- Showed the effect of mirror position on spontaneous emission rate
- Implemented qubit-reinitialization to reduce qubit requirements

## Abstract

We widen the range of applications for quantum computing by introducing digital quantum simulation methods for coherent light-matter interactions: We simulate an experiment where the emitted light from a single ion was interfering with its mirror image [Eschner et. al., Nature 431, 495 (2001)]. Using the quantum simulation software q1tsim we accurately reproduce the interference pattern which had been observed experimentally and also show the effect of the mirror position on the spontaneous emission rate of the ion. In order to minimize the number of required qubits we implement a qubit-reinitialization technique. We show that a digital quantum simulation of complex experiments in atomic and quantum physics is feasible with no more than seven qubits, a setting which is well within reach for advanced quantum computing platforms.