Negative string tension of a higher-charge Schwinger model via digital quantum simulation

It is known that particles with the same positive (negative) charge usually are repulsed, while particles with opposite positive and negative charges are attracted to each other. Recently, however, it was pointed out that such "common knowledge" that an attractive force acts between particles with opposite positive and negative charges does not always hold true under special situations.

The research group succeeded in realizing a situation in which a repulsive force acts between particles with opposite charges in a one-dimensional quantum system called the Schwinger model by numerical simulation. This is a new application of the algorithm used in quantum computers (quantum algorithm), and is expected to contribute to our understanding of important problems such as the time evolution and the phase structure of the early universe in finite density regions, which have been difficult to analyze using conventional methods.

For more details, please see the press release article from Kyoto University at related links.