Source: Science and Technology Daily

Science and Technology Daily, Hefei, November 30th (Reporter Wu Changfeng) On November 30th, the Chinese University of Science and Technology announced that Pan Jianwei, Zhu Xiaobo, Peng Chengzhi, Gong Ming, and others, in collaboration with Mei Feng from Shanxi University, have achieved and detected high-order non-equilibrium topological phases for the first time in a quantum system based on the programmable superconducting quantum processor "Zu Chongzhi 2". This achievement marks an important breakthrough in quantum simulation in exploring complex topological states, laying the foundation for achieving quantum advantage in quantum simulation problems using superconducting quantum processors. The related results were published in the international academic journal "Science" on November 28th.

Different from traditional topological phases, high-order topological phases exhibit localized states on lower-dimensional boundaries, challenging the traditional bulk-edge correspondence. Although high-order topological phases have been experimentally realized in classical metamaterials, realizing high-order topological phases in quantum systems is not only a major scientific challenge internationally, but also provides a potential approach for topological quantum computing based on non-Abelian statistics, becoming an important frontier direction in condensed matter physics.

However, the experimental realization of two-dimensional non-equilibrium high-order topological phases has long faced two major challenges: first, how to accurately design high-order non-equilibrium topological Hamiltonians in quantum systems; second, the lack of effective methods for directly detecting non-equilibrium topological properties.

Based on the programmable capabilities of the "Zu Chongzhi 2" superconducting quantum processor, the research team has achieved the first experimental realization of quantum simulation and detection of both equilibrium and non-equilibrium second-order topological phases. In theory, the research team proposed static and Floquet quantum circuit designs for high-order topological phases, solving the key challenges of constructing high-order equilibrium and non-equilibrium topological Hamiltonians in two-dimensional superconducting qubit arrays, and developed a general dynamical topological measurement framework. In experiments, researchers established a systematic processor optimization plan, achieved dynamic control of qubit frequency and coupling strength through precise calibration, and successfully executed up to 50 Floquet cycles of evolution operations on a 6×6 qubit array, achieving four different types of non-equilibrium second-order topological phases for the first time, and systematically explored the characteristics of the topological phase such as energy spectrum, dynamical behavior, and topological invariants.

Original: toutiao.com/article/7578826433770897963/

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