toric code

Realizing topologically ordered states on a quantum processor

K. J. Satzinger, Y.-J. Liu and A. Smith

Using a superconducting quantum processor, the team prepared the ground state of the toric code, a paradigmatic topologically ordered state, on a 2D lattice of qubits. They demonstrated the topological nature of the state by creating and braiding anyonic excitations and measuring nontrivial topological entanglement entropy. The work showed that programmable quantum hardware can realize and probe states with intrinsic topological order.