Originally proposed in quantum field theory around five decades ago, the idea suggests that our cosmic environment could be stuck in a 'false vacuum.' While it appears stable, it may shift into a 'true vacuum' state, sparking changes that would fundamentally transform all known structures.

Even though such an event would cause radical alterations in the laws and composition of the Universe, experts believe it would likely unfold across an extraordinarily long timescale, possibly lasting millions of years. Forecasting the precise moment remains challenging due to its complex quantum foundations.

An international consortium from three institutions has now uncovered crucial insights by simulating a process connected to this false vacuum decay. The work, spearheaded by Professor Zlatko Papic from the University of Leeds and Dr Jaka Vodeb from Forschungszentrum Julich, illuminates some of the fundamental mechanisms involved.

The study's lead author, Professor Papic, Professor of Theoretical Physics at Leeds, explained: "We're talking about a process by which the universe would completely change its structure. The fundamental constants could instantaneously change and the world as we know it would collapse like a house of cards. What we really need are controlled experiments to observe this process and determine its time scales."

According to the researchers, these findings mark a breakthrough in exploring quantum dynamics, fueling the prospect of future quantum computing innovations. Such improvements could help tackle complex challenges tied to the Universe's earliest moments and the behavior of subatomic particles.

Unraveling a Cosmic Puzzle

In a paper released on 04/02/2025 in Nature Physics, the researchers detail how they used this specialized system to emulate the intricate behavior of bubbles in a false vacuum. Just as water vapor below its dew point forms liquid droplets, these quantum 'bubbles' could initiate false vacuum decay, triggering widespread transformations of cosmic properties.

Co-author Dr Jean-Yves Desaules, a postdoctoral scholar at ISTA who completed his doctoral studies at Leeds, commented: "This phenomenon is comparable to a rollercoaster that has several valleys along its trajectory but only one 'true' lowest state, at ground level. If that is indeed the case, quantum mechanics would allow the Universe to eventually tunnel to the lowest energy state or the 'true' vacuum and that process would result in a cataclysmic global event."

By employing the quantum annealer, the team tracked the complex 'dance' of these bubbles as they form, expand, and interact in real time. Their observations confirmed that bubble dynamics involve multiple factors, including how small bubbles can alter larger ones. These fresh findings may shed light on cosmic transitions that possibly occurred soon after the Big Bang.

Co-author Dr Vodeb, a postdoctoral researcher at Julich, added: "By leveraging the capabilities of a large quantum annealer, our team has opened the door to studying non-equilibrium quantum systems and phase transitions that are otherwise difficult to explore with traditional computing methods."

Shaping a New Quantum Frontier

In their experiment, 5564 qubits were arranged to represent a false vacuum environment. By subtly adjusting the system, they induced a transition from a false to a true vacuum state, effectively capturing bubble formation. Although the model remains one-dimensional, the team anticipates that three-dimensional simulations may soon be possible using the same D-Wave device, housed within Julich's JUNIQ infrastructure for cutting-edge quantum computing research.

Professor Papic noted: "We are trying to develop systems where we can carry out simple experiments to study these sorts of things. The time scales for these processes happening in the universe are huge, but using the annealer allows us to observe them in real time, so we can actually see what's happening."

He further stated: "This exciting work, which merges cutting-edge quantum simulation with deep theoretical physics, shows how close we are to solving some of the universe's biggest mysteries."

Supported by the UKRI Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the Leverhulme Trust, the findings hint that unlocking the Universe's past or future need not rely solely on colossal experiments like CERN's Large Hadron Collider. Instead, tabletop quantum systems may serve as functional laboratories for probing the complex dynamics shaping reality at the most fundamental level.

Professor Papic added: "It's exciting to have these new tools that could effectively serve as a table-top 'laboratory' to understand the fundamental dynamical processes in the Universe."

Practical Significance

Dr Vodeb concluded: "These breakthroughs not only push the boundaries of scientific knowledge but also pave the way for future technologies that could revolutionise fields such as cryptography, materials science, and energy-efficient computing."

Dr Kedar Pandya, EPSRC Executive Director for Strategy, remarked: "Curiosity-driven research is a critical part of the work EPSRC supports. This project is a great demonstration of that work, with ideas from fundamental quantum physics coming together with technological advances in quantum computing to help answer deep questions about the nature of the Universe."

Research Report:Stirring the false vacuum via interacting quantized bubbles on a 5,564-qubit quantum annealer

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