Digital quantum simulation of cosmological particle creation with IBM quantum computers.

Area of Science:

• Quantum Computing
• Cosmology
• Quantum Field Theory

Background:

• Simulating quantum field theory in dynamic spacetimes is computationally challenging.
• Understanding particle creation during cosmic inflation is key to early universe cosmology.
• Digital quantum computers offer a potential avenue for these complex simulations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To simulate particle creation in a dynamic spacetime using digital quantum computing.
• To investigate the effects of cosmic expansion on particle production.
• To assess the utility of quantum circuits and error mitigation for such simulations.

Main Methods:

• A quantum circuit was devised to simulate the time evolution of a massive quantum scalar field.
• The simulation modeled a spacetime undergoing homogeneous, isotropic expansion with an inflationary period.
• The number of created particles was studied by simulating the circuit and implementing it on IBM quantum computers.

Main Results:

• The study successfully simulated particle creation in a dynamic spacetime using quantum circuits.
• Both simulated and experimental implementations on quantum hardware were performed.
• Error mitigation techniques were found to improve particle number estimation and state fidelity.

Conclusions:

• Digital quantum computing is a viable tool for simulating particle creation in dynamic spacetimes.
• Quantum circuit simulations, combined with error mitigation, can yield accurate results for cosmological phenomena.
• Experimental implementation on quantum computers demonstrates the practical application of these techniques.