Quantum Simulation of a Lattice Schwinger Model in a Chain of Trapped Ions

Gauge theories such as quantum electrodynamics, in principle, give us a precise understanding of the interactions between subatomic particles, but often the calculations involved are beyond current computational capabilities. Quantum simulators based on experimental many-body systems could be a solution to this problem. Scientists exploit the current state-of-the-art experimental technology for manipulating cold trapped ions and propose a simulator of the one-dimensional version of quantum electrodynamics.