TY  - JOUR
AU  - Alexandrou, Constantia
AU  - Athenodorou, Andreas
AU  - Blekos, Kostas
AU  - Polykratis, Georgios
AU  - Kuehn, Stefan
TI  - Realizing string breaking dynamics in a \mathbbZ<sub>2</sub> lattice gauge theory on quantum hardware
JO  - Physical review / D
VL  - 112
IS  - 11
SN  - 2470-0010
CY  - Ridge, NY
PB  - American Physical Society
M1  - PUBDB-2026-00082
M1  - arXiv:2504.13760
SP  - 114506
PY  - 2025
N1  - cc-by, 17 pages, 19 figures
AB  - We investigate static and dynamical aspects of string breaking in a \mathbbZ<sub>2</sub> lattice gauge theory coupled to Kogut-Susskind staggered fermions. Using tensor network simulations, we demonstrate that the static potential as well as the site-resolved configuration of the matter sites and gauge links allows us to identify the regimes in which string breaking occurs. Furthermore, we develop a variational quantum eigensolver that allows for reliably preparing the ground state of the theory in both the absence and presence of static charges and to capture the static aspects of the phenomenon. Carrying out state preparation on real quantum hardware for up to 19 qubits, we demonstrate its suitability for current quantum devices. In addition, we study the real-time dynamics of a flux tube between two static charges using both tensor networks and quantum hardware. Using a trotterization for the time-evolution operator, we are able to show that the breaking process starts with the creation of charges inside the string. These eventually redistribute toward the static charges and screen them, which leads to the breaking of the flux tube. 
LB  - PUB:(DE-HGF)16
DO  - DOI:10.1103/r6sr-dv13
UR  - https://bib-pubdb1.desy.de/record/643276
ER  -