Researchers at the University of Ottawa and the Nexus for Quantum Technologies Institute, partnering with Italian scientists from Federico II University, developed a programmable quantum simulator using optical screens to replicate electron movement through complex materials without requiring massive electronic hardware, according to a July 2026 report from Phys.org.
Instead of wiring intricate circuits, the team uses three programmable optical screens known as spatial light modulators to shape a beam of light. By controlling the spatial pattern and polarization—two internal degrees of freedom of photons—the apparatus forces light to evolve the exact same way electrons would inside a crystal.
Tuning Light Like a Musical Instrument to Simulate Quantum States
The system relies on software updates to completely reconfigure experiments on a tabletop setup. We program the structure of light the way a musician tunes an instrument,
says Ebrahim Karimi, a full professor in uOttawa’s Department of Physics, according to Phys.org. Each configuration lets photons walk through a different virtual material, and we can switch between hundreds of them without touching the optics.
The research team validated the platform using both classical laser light and individual photons, successfully executing more than 300 distinct quantum processes while distributing a single input beam across thousands of output channels. In specific trials, the platform recreated the signatures of topological materials, which are exotic phases of matter where internal geometry shields electrons from disturbances.
Exploring Closed Loops and Doughnut-Shaped Geometries
The photonic platform expands its simulation reach beyond standard flat grids. By altering the optical patterns, the experimental setup simulates particle movement across closed loops, cylinders, and doughnut-shaped surfaces.
These complex geometries capture features of advanced quantum materials that researchers rarely reproduce in pure photonic experiments. A torus or a cylinder might sound abstract, but these shapes encode real physics,
Dr. Alessio D’Errico noted in the Phys.org report. Being able to explore them all on a single, reconfigurable tabletop setup is a genuine step forward for quantum simulation.
Because the information resides entirely within light, every stage of the quantum evolution can be photographed directly. This visibility grants investigators a clear view of dynamics that typically remain obscured inside solid-state devices.
Published Studies Detailing Optical Processors and Quantum Walks
The findings underlying this optical laboratory are detailed in two 2026 publications. The first study, titled Compact and programmable large-scale optical processor in free space,
was published in Light: Science & Applications by Maria Gorizia Ammendola and colleagues. The second study, titled Programmable photonic quantum walks on lattices with cyclic, toroidal, and cylindrical topology,
appeared in Advanced Photonics, led by Nazanin Dehghan.
These publications lay the foundation for using compact photonic hardware to study quantum transport, evaluate topological phenomena, and prototype building blocks for upcoming quantum tech. We’ve essentially turned light into a controllable laboratory for quantum matter studies,
Karimi states, as reported by Phys.org. Complex dynamics can be designed, watched and understood with a clarity that simply wasn’t available before.
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