ECTS credits ECTS credits: 3
ECTS Hours Rules/Memories Hours of tutorials: 3 Expository Class: 15 Interactive Classroom: 10 Total: 28
Use languages Spanish, Galician, English
Type: Ordinary subject Master’s Degree RD 1393/2007 - 822/2021
Departments: Particle Physics
Areas: Atomic, Molecular and Nuclear Physics
Center Faculty of Physics
Call: Second Semester
Teaching: With teaching
Enrolment: Enrollable | 1st year (Yes)
Analogue simulation is a method in which a controllable physical system is engineered and manipulated so that its behavior closely mimics, or "simulates," the dynamics of another, typically less accessible or more complex, system of interest. In the context of quantum physics, this is known as analogue quantum simulation. Unlike digital simulation —which uses a sequence of discrete logical operations or gates— analogue simulation relies on continuous, native interactions within the simulator to reproduce the target system's Hamiltonian and time evolution. The simulator is typically a well-controlled many-body system (such as ultracold atoms, trapped ions, or superconducting circuits) with adjustable interactions, allowing researchers to tune its parameters to match those of the target system. This program is designed for a university master’s level course on analogue quantum simulation. It combines theoretical foundations, philosophical perspectives, practical case studies, and hands-on experience with analogue quantum simulators. The curriculum is modular and can be delivered as a semester-long course or adapted for intensive workshops.
1. Introduction and Motivation - Historical context: Why quantum simulation? - Difference between analogue and digital quantum simulation - Overview of current platforms: ultracold atoms, trapped ions, superconducting circuits
2. Theoretical Foundations - Mapping physical systems to simulators - Analogue vs digital quantum computation and emulation.
3. Analogue Quantum Simulation: Concepts and Methods - Definition and scope of analogue quantum simulation - Hamiltonian engineering: how to realize target models in the lab.
4. Experimental Platforms - Ultracold atoms in optical lattices: Bose-Hubbard and Fermi-Hubbard models - Trapped ions: spin models and quantum magnetism - Superconducting qubits and photonic systems
5. Case Studies - Simulation of Higgs modes in two dimensions - Many-body localization (MBL) - Quantum phase transitions and topological order.
6. Validation and Verification - How to benchmark analogue quantum simulators - Classical simulation limits and cross-validation - Error sources and mitigation strategies.
7.- Hands-on and Computational Labs - Simulating simple quantum models using classical computers - Data analysis from real or simulated experiments - Design and proposal of a simulation experiment.
Analogue Quantum Simulation: A Philosophical Prospectus. Dominik Hangleiter, Jacques Carolan, Karim Thébault.
Analogue Quantum Simulation: A New Instrument for Scientific Understanding (Dominik Hangleiter, Jacques Carolan, Karim P. Y. Thébault)
Students who take this subject will acquire the skills and abilities of critical and creative thinking, communication and collaborative work that are indicated in the degree verification report (HD0, HD1, HD2, HD3).
In addition to the basic (CB1-CB5), general (CG1-CG4) and transversal (CT1-CT8) skills that are specified in the degree verification report, students will acquire the following specific skills for this subject.
Specific competences:
Quantum System Mapping: Understand how to represent complex quantum models using physical platforms like ultracold atoms or trapped ions.
Simulation Design: Develop and implement protocols for analogue quantum simulators, including control and calibration of experimental parameters.
Numerical & Experimental Skills: Gain hands-on experience with simulation software and laboratory techniques for preparing and measuring quantum states.
Critical Analysis: Evaluate the strengths and limitations of analogue simulators versus digital quantum computers.
Interdisciplinary Application: Apply analogue quantum simulation to problems in physics, chemistry, and materials science.
Scientific Communication: Present and document your findings clearly, working effectively in interdisciplinary teams.
Classes will be in person and will be broadcast synchronously to the other campuses
- Expository classes: in them the programmed contents will be explained and any doubts that may arise will be answered. Exercises and problems will be proposed that students must solve in their own work time.
- Interactive classes: resolution of the proposed exercises and problems, sharing of doubts. Students will be given prominence to present their results.
- Tutorials: these will provide personalized attention to the students to provide them with guidance and resolve their doubts.
- Autonomous work: during this time the study of the subject and the resolution of proposed tasks will be carried out.
There will be a virtual platform where essential and supplementary training and information material will be made accessible.
The evaluation of the subject will be a combination of different aspects:
1- Continuous evaluation: attendance and participation in expository and interactive classes, delivery of exercises and solved problems, voluntary presentation of results.
Weighting: 60%
2- Preparation and presentation of a subject project: 40%
"Article 16. Fraudulent performance of exercises or tests.
The fraudulent completion of any exercise or test required in the evaluation of a subject will imply a failing grade in the corresponding call, regardless of the disciplinary process that may be followed against the offending student. “It is considered fraudulent, among other things, to carry out work that is plagiarized or obtained from sources accessible to the public without reworking or reinterpretation and without citations to the authors and sources.”
The subject consists of 3 ECTS, so the total hours of student work, including evaluation activities, is 75 hours, structured into:
- 14 hours of expository classes
- 10 hours of interactive class
- 50 hours of student personal work
- 1 hour of tutorials
- Introduction to quantum simulation (Máster Universitario en Ciencia e Tecnoloxías de Información Cuántica )
- Basic quantum mechanics
NA
Francesc Yassid Ayyad Limonge
Coordinador/a- Department
- Particle Physics
- Area
- Atomic, Molecular and Nuclear Physics
- yassid.ayyad [at] usc.es
- Category
- Researcher: Ramón y Cajal
| Wednesday | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 15:00-17:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Spanish | Classroom 2 |
| 05.18.2025 10:00-14:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom 2 |
| 07.06.2025 10:00-14:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom 2 |