Simulating Z2 gauge theory and Kitaev's toric code

In a recent collaboration with LMU Munich and the University of Queensland (Australia) we have proposed a new analog quantum simulation scheme for Z2 lattice gauge theories coupled to dynamical matter. Our proposal is particularly suited for implementations with superconducting qubit technology.

As a direct application of our scheme, we propose a way to realize three-body plaquette terms. To this end we propose to use a triangular lattice, and demonstrate how one matter particle per plaquette can mediate the required plaquette terms in the Hamiltonian.

We further demonstrate how the topologically ordered ground state can be efficiently prepared by an adiabatic growing scheme, which also allows to add topological excitations and probe their mutual braiding statistics.