Experiments with Schrödinger Cellular Automata

Quantum 9, 1811 (2025).

https://doi.org/10.22331/q-2025-07-23-1811

We derive a class of cellular automata for the Schrödinger Hamiltonian, including scalar and vector potentials. It is based on a multi-split of the Hamiltonian, resulting in a multi-step unitary evolution operator in discrete time and space. Experiments with one-dimensional automata offer quantitative insight in phase and group velocities, energy levels, related approximation errors, and the evolution of a time-dependent harmonic oscilator. The apparent effects of spatial waveform aliasing are intriguing. Interference experiments with two-dimensional automata include refraction, Davisson-Germer, Mach-Zehnder, single & double slit, and Aharonov-Bohm.

Experiments with Schrödinger Cellular Automata.