Theoretical physicist Torsten Zache joined IQOQI Innsbruck as junior group leader at the beginning of the year. Zache is also an assistant professor at the Institute for Theoretical Physics at the University of Innsbruck. He received an ERC Starting Grant for his research on quantum simulations of lattice gauge theories.
Gauge theories are central models in modern physics, but their numerical simulation often reaches its limits. With his new research group, Torsten Zache aims to formulate a class of regularized gauge theories that are specifically designed for quantum simulations. Based on these, his team will then develop digital quantum algorithms for suitable hardware. Classical tensor network simulations are also planned in order to analyze paradigmatic phenomena such as confinement and to create robust benchmarks for quantum simulators.
In collaboration with experimental groups, Zache is also developing algorithms for qudit-based quantum computers, i.e., quantum systems with more than two levels. These allow for the efficient representation of truncated non-Abelian gauge theories. The focus is on platforms with trapped ions and Rydberg atoms. The results are expected to advance the development of future quantum technologies for applications in solid-state physics, quantum chemistry, and quantum information processing.
Torsten Victor Zache, born in Berlin in 1992, studied physics in Heidelberg and earned his doctorate there. Since 2020, he has been conducting research at the University of Innsbruck and IQOQI Innsbruck with Peter Zoller and Hannes Pichler. With the ERC Starting Grant, he is now establishing his own research group in Innsbruck.