“String breaking” observed in 2D quantum simulator 04.06.2025

Image: Harald Ritsch
An international team led by Innsbruck quantum physicist Peter Zoller, together with the US company QuEra Computing, has directly observed a gauge field theory similar to models from particle physics in a two-dimensional analog quantum simulator for the first time. The study, published in Nature, opens up new possibilities for research into fundamental physical phenomena.

Two new faces 04.06.2025

Photo: David Jordan
On Tuesday evening, experimental physicist Hannes Bernien and theoretical physicist Hannes Pichler gave their inaugural lectures at the University of Innsbruck. They both presented their research programs to a large audience. The quantum physicists share a common past at Harvard University, which has resulted in a long-standing and successful scientific collaboration, now being continued in Innsbruck.