University of Innsbruck physicists have created a digital quantum simulator that can potentially be programmed to simulate any physical system efficiently.

They used a digital approach to quantum simulation in a system of trapped ions. They encoded the desired initial state of the system in qubits and then implemented the operation sets by laser pulses. They then demonstrated this method in two experiments, using up to 100 gates and 6 qubits.

The physicists said they were able to simulate interactions and dynamics not even present in the quantum computer. They simulated the full-time dynamics of a range of spin systems. Interactions beyond those naturally present in the simulator were accurately reproduced, and quantitative bounds were provided for the overall simulation quality.

They demonstrated the key principles of digital quantum simulation and provided evidence that the level of control required for a full-scale quantum device is within reach, the physicists said.

Ref.: B. P. Lanyon, et al., Universal digital quantum simulation with trapped ions, Science Express, 2011; [DOI: 10.1126/science.1208001]