Duke Quantum Center simulates particle formation via quantum computing

Researchers at the Duke Quantum Center have successfully used a quantum simulator to model ‘string breaking’, a complex phenomenon in particle physics that mimics the conditions of the early universe following the Big Bang.

Using a quantum computer composed of 13 trapped ions, the team simulated the behavior of quarks—the fundamental building blocks of protons and neutrons. Because quarks are bound by the strong nuclear force, they cannot be isolated; instead, as they are pulled apart, the energy in the bond increases until it reaches a threshold that creates new particles. This process, known as ‘string breaking’, prevents the isolation of individual quarks by generating new pairs.

The study, published in Nature Physics, suggests that quantum simulators provide a unique platform to investigate the formation of matter and the dynamics of fundamental particles that are otherwise impossible to observe directly in a laboratory setting.