Researchers Create New Phase of Matter Using Quantum Processor

The World of Non-Abelian Anyons

In the everyday world of three dimensions, we have two types of particles: bosons and fermions. Bosons include light and the Higgs boson, while fermions make up protons, neutrons, and electrons found in our universe.

Non-Abelian anyons are quasiparticles that can exist in a specific state of matter. They are known for their ability to store memory, which has potential applications in quantum computing.

Non-Abelian anyons have stable properties compared to qubits, which are currently used in quantum computing. They can store information without being influenced by their environment, making them ideal for computational systems.

Discovering a New Phase of Matter

To create a new phase of matter, the researchers performed an experiment using Quantinuum's H2 processor. They started with 27 trapped ions and used partial measurements to increase the complexity of the quantum system.

By sculpting a specific state through measurement, the team was able to create and move anyons along Borromean rings, which are linked closed curves in three-dimensional space.

The researchers observed non-Abelian anyons tunneling around a torus and generating 22 ground states, as well as an excited state with a single anyon, which is a unique feature of non-Abelian topological order.

Implications and Conclusion

This research demonstrates the counterintuitive nature of non-Abelian anyons and enables their study in quantum devices. Using exotic states of matter like these could be a promising route to stable quantum computing.

The team, led by Ashvin Vishwanath, believes that this work connects various aspects of physics, from foundational quantum mechanics to new ideas about particles. Their findings were published in the journal Nature on February 14, 2024.