One-to-one quantum simulation of a frustrated magnet with 256 qubits

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates a 256-qubit Rydberg quantum simulator accurately modeling a frustrated magnet, reproducing experimental measurements and exploring non-equilibrium dynamics beyond classical capabilities.

Contribution

It is the first to simulate a real frustrated magnetic material with a large-scale quantum simulator, bridging quantum simulation and material physics.

Findings

Quantum simulator matches susceptibility measurements.

Identifies quantum fluctuations as key in the paramagnetic regime.

Reveals thermalization dynamics post-quench.

Abstract

Analog quantum simulators offer a powerful microscopic probe of quantum many-body systems, yet have largely been benchmarked against model Hamiltonians rather than real materials. Here, we use a 256-qubit Rydberg simulator to implement the effective Hamiltonian of the frustrated triangular-lattice magnet TmMgGaO$_4$. Simulated magnetization curves agree quantitatively with susceptibility measurements on single crystals, and both platforms consistently determine the antiferromagnetic phase transition. Snapshot-resolved analysis confirms that quantum fluctuations, rather than disorder, govern the intermediate paramagnetic regime. Having established this correspondence, we access non-equilibrium dynamics following a sudden quench, a regime at picosecond material timescales where entanglement growth places the problem beyond classical reach. The simulator reveals thermalization of local observables, demonstrating that analog quantum simulation can reproduce and extend the physics of a real material.