Quantum Computer Reveals New Phase of Matter, Expanding Physics Beyond Equilibrium
Scientists have successfully used a quantum computer to observe a previously unseen phase of matter, potentially unlocking discoveries that transcend the boundaries of customary physics. (Image Credit: Stock)
A groundbreaking study published in Nature demonstrates the power of quantum computers in exploring unusual states of matter that exist outside of typical equilibrium conditions. Matter commonly exists in phases like solid or liquid, understood when systems are stable over time. However, nature allows for stranger phases that only emerge when a system is driven out of equilibrium.
Unlike conventional phases defined by static properties, these non-equilibrium quantum phases are characterized by their dynamic evolution – a behavior unexplainable by standard thermodynamics. A particularly captivating example is found in Floquet systems,which are quantum systems subjected to regular,repeating cycles of influence. This periodic driving can generate entirely new forms of order, revealing phenomena beyond those possible in conventional matter.
Researchers from the Technical University of Munich (TUM), princeton University, and Google Quantum AI utilized a 58-qubit superconducting quantum processor to realize a Floquet topologically ordered state. This phase had been theoretically predicted but had never been directly observed. The team directly visualized the characteristic movements at the system’s edges and developed a new interferometric algorithm to investigate its underlying topological characteristics. This allowed them to witness the dynamic “transmutation” of exotic particles – a key prediction for these unusual quantum states.
“Highly entangled non-equilibrium phases are notoriously hard to simulate with classical computers,” explains Melissa Will, a PhD student at TUM’s Physics Department and the study’s first author. “Our results show that quantum processors aren’t simply computational tools - they are powerful experimental platforms for discovering and probing entirely new states of matter.”
This research marks a new era in quantum simulation, positioning quantum computers as laboratories for investigating the vast, largely uncharted territory of out-of-equilibrium quantum matter. The resulting insights could have meaningful implications, ranging from a deeper understanding of basic physics to the development of advanced quantum technologies.
Reference: Will, M.,Cochran,T. A., Rosenberg, E., Jobst, B., eassa, N. M., Roushan, P., Knap, M., Gammon-Smith, A. & Pollmann, F. (2025). probing non-equilibrium topological order on a quantum processor. Nature. DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-09456-3 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09456-3
