Loop-string-hadron formulation for non-Abelian lattice gauge theory and quantum simulation

by Jesse Stryker (ECT*)

Monday 19 Oct 2026, 14:30 → 16:30 Europe/Rome

U5-5017 (Building U2 - Quantum)

For four decades, lattice-field-theory calculations were largely unable to address real-time dynamics and theories with finite chemical potential or topological terms. The computational barriers stemmed from, or were associated with, the sign problem that arises in the path-integral formalism. The Hamiltonian formalism has the advantage of being sign-problem-free, but instead generically suffers from the cost of simulating an exponentially large Hilbert space. Over the last decade, tensor networks and quantum computers have driven a renaissance in the Hamiltonian formalism for lattice field theory, offering long-awaited ways to beat the exponential cost. For lattice gauge theories in particular, multiple formulations have been introduced as candidates for Hamiltonian-based calculations. Motivated by QCD dynamics, in this talk, I give an overview of the loop-string-hadron (LSH) approach for SU(2) and SU(3) lattice gauge theories. I then present the results of a recent quantum simulation of real-time dynamics for an SU(2) theory based on our formulation, performed on Quantinuum's Model H2 trapped-ion platform.

Jesse_Stryker.pdf