Quantum electrodynamics (QED) is a cornerstone of the standard model of particle physics. A decade-long effort to simulate QED on a two-dimensional lattice has now succeeded — through the use of a trapped-ion quantum computer based on multidimensional ‘qudits’, which are uniquely suited to the challenge.
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References
Bañuls, M. C. et al. Simulating lattice gauge theories within quantum technologies. Eur. Phys. J. D 74, 165 (2020). A review article covering the opportunities for using quantum computing and simulation in the study of lattice gauge theories.
Di Meglio, A. et al. Quantum computing for high-energy physics: State of the art and challenges. PRX Quantum 5, 037001 (2024). A roadmap article that presents the state of the art in quantum computing for particle physics.
Ringbauer, M. et al. A universal qudit quantum processor with trapped ions. Nat. Phys. 18, 1053–1057 (2022). This paper describes the qudit quantum processor that we have used in this work.
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This is a summary of: Meth, M. et al. Simulating two-dimensional lattice gauge theories on a qudit quantum computer. Nat. Phys. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-025-02797-w (2025).
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A qudit quantum computer for simulation of two-dimensional quantum electrodynamics. Nat. Phys. 21, 518–519 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-025-02821-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-025-02821-z
