First-Order Phase Transition of the Schwinger Model with a Quantum Computer | 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 First-Order Phase Transition of the Schwinger Model with a Quantum Computer Takis Angelides, Pranay Naredi, Arianna Crippa, Karl Jansen, Stefan Kühn, and 2 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4018019/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 18 Jan, 2025 Read the published version in npj Quantum Information → Version 1 posted 10 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract We explore the first-order phase transition in the lattice Schwinger model in the presence of a topological θ -term by means of the variational quantum eigensolver (VQE). Using two different fermion discretizations, Wilson and staggered fermions, we develop parametric ansatz circuits suitable for both discretizations, and compare their performance by simulating classically an ideal VQE optimization in the absence of noise. The states obtained by the classical simulation are then prepared on the IBM's superconducting quantum hardware. Applying state-of-the art error-mitigation methods, we show that the electric field density and particle number, observables which reveal the phase structure of the model, can be reliably obtained from the quantum hardware. To investigate the minimum system sizes required for a continuum extrapolation, we study the continuum limit using matrix product states, and compare our results to continuum mass perturbation theory. We demonstrate that taking the additive mass renormalization into account is vital for enhancing the precision that can be obtained with smaller system sizes. Furthermore, for the observables we investigate we observe universality, and both fermion discretizations produce the same continuum limit. Physical sciences/Physics/Quantum physics/Quantum simulation Physical sciences/Physics/Quantum physics/Qubits Full Text Additional Declarations (Not answered) Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 18 Jan, 2025 Read the published version in npj Quantum Information → Version 1 posted Editorial decision: revise 13 Jun, 2024 Review # 2 received at journal 21 May, 2024 Reviewer # 3 agreed at journal 28 Apr, 2024 Review # 1 received at journal 21 Apr, 2024 Reviewer # 2 agreed at journal 12 Apr, 2024 Reviewer # 1 agreed at journal 08 Apr, 2024 Reviewers invited by journal 26 Mar, 2024 Submission checks completed at journal 06 Mar, 2024 Editor assigned by journal 05 Mar, 2024 First submitted to journal 05 Mar, 2024 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. 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