Digital quantum simulation of many-body localization crossover in a disordered kicked Ising model

Digital quantum simulation of many-body localization crossover in a disordered kicked Ising model | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Digital quantum simulation of many-body localization crossover in a disordered kicked Ising model Tomoya Hayata, Kazuhiro Seki, Seiji Yunok This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7821221/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 9 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Simulating nonequilibrium dynamics of quantum many-body systems is one of the most promising applications of quantum computers. However, a faithful digital quantum simulation of the Hamiltonian evolution is very challenging in the present noisy quantum devices. Instead, nonequilibrium dynamics under the Floquet evolution realized by the Trotter decomposition of the Hamiltonian evolution with a large Trotter step size is considered to be a suitable problem for simulating in the present or near-term quantum devices. In this work, we propose simulating the many-body localization crossover as such a nonequilibrium problem in the disordered Floquet many-body systems. As a demonstration, we simulate the many-body localization crossover in a disordered kicked Ising model on a heavy-hex lattice using 60 qubits from 156 qubits available in the IBM Heron r2 superconducting qubit device named ibm_fez. We compute out-of-time-ordered correlators as an indicator of the many-body localization crossover. From the late-time behavior of out-of-time-ordered correlators, we locate the quantum chaotic and many-body localized regimes as a function of the disorder strength. The validity of the results is confirmed by comparing two independent error mitigation methods, that is, the operator renormalization method and zero-noise extrapolation. Physical sciences/Mathematics and computing Physical sciences/Physics Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 18 Jan, 2026 Reviews received at journal 18 Jan, 2026 Reviews received at journal 14 Jan, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 07 Dec, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 04 Dec, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 02 Dec, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 22 Oct, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 16 Oct, 2025 First submitted to journal 09 Oct, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7821221","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":554144905,"identity":"5c841502-f06c-48d9-a57b-a362dafbcd11","order_by":0,"name":"Tomoya Hayata","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAAs0lEQVRIiWNgGAWjYBACAwhlY8DADKQkiNZygCGNdC2HDYh3mDn7GcPPH2rOG/OzMx9gsNxBhBbLnhxjiQPHbptJNrMlMEieIcZhB3IMJA6w3bYxOMxjwCDZRoyW82+Mfxz4d87GnngtN3LMJA62HTAzYCZey7Myi7N9ycYSh9kSDhDnl/PJm29UfLMz7O8/fPCxJDEhxsDAgYiSw5INRGlhfwBnMn4kTssoGAWjYBSMMAAAQbY3M4dcfCIAAAAASUVORK5CYII=","orcid":"","institution":"Keio University School of Medicine","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Tomoya","middleName":"","lastName":"Hayata","suffix":""},{"id":554144906,"identity":"05e9aefe-b53f-4a83-aacb-11fbc93bb0e5","order_by":1,"name":"Kazuhiro Seki","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"RIKEN Center for Quantum Computing (RQC)","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Kazuhiro","middleName":"","lastName":"Seki","suffix":""},{"id":554144907,"identity":"5b4d7f0b-e57e-48b3-a3e7-6c934752473a","order_by":2,"name":"Seiji Yunok","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"RIKEN Center for Quantum Computing (RQC)","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Seiji","middleName":"","lastName":"Yunok","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-10-09 23:38:15","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7821221/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7821221/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":97665527,"identity":"3d15dffe-93be-4e90-b2d5-45910140444f","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-08 09:18:56","extension":"docx","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":51499,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"npjq.docx","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7821221/v1/89cdb126525718bb4fb4e3e0.docx"},{"id":97397716,"identity":"013dc507-b08c-458f-824b-3f5ae9606440","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-04 01:23:05","extension":"json","order_by":9,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":4834,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"ebc5bf5de70742d69f98f66673cc6b76.json","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7821221/v1/65a48de53055b338267f0fa0.json"},{"id":97666387,"identity":"5e808f8b-bed4-43e8-9113-7c797cef9628","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-08 09:21:05","extension":"xml","order_by":10,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":146433,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"ebc5bf5de70742d69f98f66673cc6b761enriched.xml","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7821221/v1/aa9220c4f7bcff7ef06a9618.xml"},{"id":97665411,"identity":"b88bf0b3-7349-4d32-a67c-0b573d6af4bb","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-08 09:18:15","extension":"pdf","order_by":11,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":16252,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"fig1.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7821221/v1/b4f54140a46fa1535397e80c.pdf"},{"id":97397724,"identity":"aec74cc7-aabd-4622-a17b-adddd8972925","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-04 01:23:05","extension":"pdf","order_by":12,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":1173391,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"fig2.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7821221/v1/8651f639751d772a93a67628.pdf"},{"id":97397718,"identity":"2db5e0e8-63f7-4cb7-99b5-b11d43419a5f","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-04 01:23:05","extension":"pdf","order_by":13,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":134821,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"fig3.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7821221/v1/9f00de94671bac998432d20b.pdf"},{"id":97397721,"identity":"87b47e70-9f1f-45c7-a817-fc1545183893","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-04 01:23:05","extension":"pdf","order_by":14,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":339663,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"fig4.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7821221/v1/967faecc1f5cf061aa6b17ec.pdf"},{"id":97397728,"identity":"6b6ac5c0-c573-4e9b-ac52-5c9d68a4938e","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-04 01:23:05","extension":"pdf","order_by":15,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":1417352,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"fig5.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7821221/v1/6d59fa47d38741c1040e981f.pdf"},{"id":97397723,"identity":"9f6be283-eba1-40ad-9ad7-c2745594c297","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-04 01:23:05","extension":"pdf","order_by":16,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":401684,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"fig6.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7821221/v1/36c4f201d309ef6efc217aa8.pdf"},{"id":97665667,"identity":"f7315df9-4513-43eb-bf4d-fbcf7e9c6921","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-08 09:19:21","extension":"pdf","order_by":17,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":331369,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"fig7.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7821221/v1/32a0b4d80d80c8f977256f38.pdf"},{"id":97397726,"identity":"3230c74d-14f6-403b-8bdf-2914d7539baa","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-04 01:23:05","extension":"pdf","order_by":18,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":339499,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"fig8.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7821221/v1/7dc4d33eade460870cc2611f.pdf"},{"id":97397725,"identity":"661011fe-234b-4890-8276-52da9f546280","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-04 01:23:05","extension":"xml","order_by":19,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":145688,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"ebc5bf5de70742d69f98f66673cc6b761structuring.xml","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7821221/v1/7ab2bf17edf3996497ee5f9c.xml"},{"id":97397727,"identity":"9bfcd231-41f9-4de6-b900-6474c91c6334","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-04 01:23:05","extension":"html","order_by":20,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":169969,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"earlyproof.html","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7821221/v1/ef59067fc8a752b99418b860.html"},{"id":97677245,"identity":"3c738da8-6907-4ac9-80e1-9358d58c05ac","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-08 09:52:38","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":876037,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"npjq.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7821221/v1_covered_e73514ff-7094-47d3-a43a-971a6cdc67b0.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Digital quantum simulation of many-body localization crossover in a disordered kicked Ising model","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"npj-quantum-information","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":false,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"npjqi","sideBox":"Learn more about [npj Quantum Information](http://www.nature.com/npjqi/)","snPcode":"41534","submissionUrl":"https://mts-npjqi.nature.com/","title":"npj Quantum Information","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"ejp","reportingPortfolio":"NPJ","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7821221/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7821221/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eSimulating nonequilibrium dynamics of quantum many-body systems is one of the most promising applications of quantum computers. However, a faithful digital quantum simulation of the Hamiltonian evolution is very challenging in the present noisy quantum devices. Instead, nonequilibrium dynamics under the Floquet evolution realized by the Trotter decomposition of the Hamiltonian evolution with a large Trotter step size is considered to be a suitable problem for simulating in the present or near-term quantum devices. In this work, we propose simulating the many-body localization crossover as such a nonequilibrium problem in the disordered Floquet many-body systems. As a demonstration, we simulate the many-body localization crossover in a disordered kicked Ising model on a heavy-hex lattice using 60 qubits from 156 qubits available in the IBM Heron r2 superconducting qubit device named ibm_fez. We compute out-of-time-ordered correlators as an indicator of the many-body localization crossover. From the late-time behavior of out-of-time-ordered correlators, we locate the quantum chaotic and many-body localized regimes as a function of the disorder strength. The validity of the results is confirmed by comparing two independent error mitigation methods, that is, the operator renormalization method and zero-noise extrapolation.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Digital quantum simulation of many-body localization crossover in a disordered kicked Ising model","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-12-04 01:23:00","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7821221/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2026-01-18T20:37:07+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-01-18T20:28:25+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-01-15T02:43:37+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"222321299252681411278879047117495440180","date":"2025-12-07T21:55:43+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"60437801990752307506496312118533945442","date":"2025-12-04T23:50:33+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2025-12-02T14:45:47+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2025-10-22T09:09:04+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2025-10-16T19:24:29+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"npj Quantum Information","date":"2025-10-09T23:31:21+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"npj-quantum-information","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":false,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"npjqi","sideBox":"Learn more about [npj Quantum Information](http://www.nature.com/npjqi/)","snPcode":"41534","submissionUrl":"https://mts-npjqi.nature.com/","title":"npj Quantum Information","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"ejp","reportingPortfolio":"NPJ","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"0b4b0f7a-01e9-473e-b849-7eeecbe5a86f","owner":[],"postedDate":"December 4th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[{"id":58969816,"name":"Physical sciences/Mathematics and computing"},{"id":58969817,"name":"Physical sciences/Physics"}],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-05-22T10:08:29+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2025-12-04 01:23:00","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-7821221","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-7821221","identity":"rs-7821221","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}