First zero-temp symmetry break hits 80% fidelity in quantum test

An international team of researchers from China, Spain, Denmark, and Brazil has achieved a significant breakthrough by simulating spontaneous symmetry breaking (SSB) at absolute zero temperature using a superconducting quantum processor. This marks the first time SSB has been simulated at zero temperature with about 80% fidelity, representing a major milestone in condensed matter physics and demonstrating new quantum computing applications. SSB is a fundamental phenomenon in physics that explains the emergence of complex structures and conservation laws, but observing it at near absolute zero is challenging due to material immobility. Classical computers have struggled with such simulations, which are typically limited to temperatures above zero and require extensive processing time. The researchers leveraged quantum computing’s unique capabilities—entanglement and superposition—to overcome these limitations. Unlike classical computers that process computations sequentially, quantum processors handle multiple possibilities simultaneously, exponentially speeding up simulations. The experiment used a quantum circuit of seven superconducting qubits made from aluminum and niobium alloys, operating near one millikelvin