Dr. Phillip Lotshaw is a research scientist in the Quantum Computational Science Group at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Before his current position he obtained his PhD in physical chemistry from the University of Oregon in 2020, then served as a postdoc at ORNL until 2022. His current research focuses on quantum algorithm development and benchmarking, including optimization algorithms, quantum simulations of materials, quantum sensing, and modeling quantum computers.
Presentation Title:
Entangled Matter and Kitaev Chiral Edge Dynamics on Quantum Processors
Presentation Abstract:
Quantum processors promise to reveal new insights into highly entangled states of matter that challenge conventional simulations. I will consider preparing such states on quantum processors and characterizing their entanglement and its signatures. The first target is the systematic mapping of two-spin entanglement in quantum computations, which is applied to quantum critical spin chains. The second target is signatures of topological order and entanglement in the Kitaev honeycomb quantum spin liquid, without and with non-integrable interactions that challenge current understanding of materials [1]. In the Kitaev case, we prepare states in the non-Abelian phase and observe chiral edge dynamics consistent with a nonzero Chern number—a hallmark of topological order— which vanishes upon transition to the Abelian toric-code phase. Extending to the non-integrable Kitaev-Heisenberg model, we find that weak Heisenberg interactions preserve chiral edge dynamics, while stronger couplings suppress them, signaling the breakdown of topological protection. The results demonstrate routes for probing entanglement and signatures of topological order using programmable quantum hardware, opening new pathways for quantum simulation and characterization of strongly correlated materials.
[1] Ali et. al, arXiv:2507.08939 (2025)