Simulating open quantum systems: from many-body interactions to stabilizer pumping

Understand

In a recent experiment, Barreiro et al.

• demonstrated the fundamental building blocks of an open-system quantum simulator with trapped ions [Nature 470, 486 (2011)].
• Using up to five ions, single- and multi-qubit entangling gate operations were combined with optical pumping in stroboscopic sequences.
• This enabled the implementation of both coherent many-body dynamics as well as dissipative processes by controlling the coupling of the system to an artificial, suitably tailored environment.