Real-time scattering and freeze-out dynamics in Rydberg-atom lattice gauge theory

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates real-time scattering and freeze-out dynamics in a Rydberg-atom quantum simulator of a (1+1)-dimensional U(1) lattice gauge theory, revealing confinement, string fragmentation, and stabilization of correlated states.

Contribution

It introduces a programmable Rydberg atom array to observe non-equilibrium gauge dynamics, including confinement-deconfinement transitions and dynamical freeze-out, advancing quantum simulation of high-energy physics phenomena.

Findings

Observation of dynamical confinement-deconfinement transitions

Detection of string fragmentation and symmetry restoration during quenches

Identification of dynamical freeze-out stabilizing correlated states

Abstract

Understanding the non-equilibrium dynamics of gauge theories remains a fundamental challenge in high-energy physics. Indeed, most large scale experiments on gauge theories intrinsically rely on very far-from equilibrium dynamics, from heavy-ion to lepton and hadron collisions, which is in general extremely challenging to treat ab initio. Quantum simulation holds intriguing potential in tackling this problem and pioneering experiments have observed different characteristic features of gauge theories, such as string breaking and false vacuum decay. Here, using a programmable Rydberg atom array, we observe real-time scattering and freeze-out dynamics in a (1+1)-dimensional U(1) lattice gauge theory. Through spatiotemporal Hamiltonian engineering, we demonstrate dynamical confinement-deconfinement transitions, revealing string fragmentation and symmetry restoration during quenches. We track scattering processes with single-site resolution across a range of parameter regimes. Utilizing a double quench protocol, we observe dynamical freeze-out: upon quenching the Hamiltonian after scattering, despite the injection of an extensive energy, the system evolution -- in terms of both low-order correlations and entanglement -- freezes, effectively stabilizing a highly correlated equilibrium state -- a situation that reminisces that of collisions between heavy ions. Our work establishes a high-resolution approach for probing non-perturbative gauge dynamics, opening alternative pathways toward studying far-from-equilibrium phenomena in high-energy physics.