Caltech physicists finally measure a quantum energy ladder predicted 40 years ago

When materials undergo major changes, such as water boiling or a magnet losing its magnetism, very different systems can sometimes start behaving according to the same mathematical rules.

"Physicists call this trait universality -- the messy, microscopic details wash out and only a few essential features survive," explains Jason Alicea, William K. Davis Professor of Theoretical Physics.

Physicists often describe this universal behavior using a mathematical framework known as conformal field theory.

Quantum simulators test fundamental physics

In a study published in Nature , researchers carried out the first experiments of their kind on two different conformal field theories using quantum simulators. These specialized systems are simpler than general purpose quantum computers and are designed to reproduce particular quantum behaviors.

The collaboration brought together the experimental group of Caltech's Manuel Endres, professor of physics, Alicea's theory group, and theorists at Universit Paris-Saclay and the Technical University of Munich.