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Real-Time String Dynamics in a 2+1D Non-Abelian Lattice Gauge Theory: String Breaking, Glueball Formation, Baryon Blockade, and Tension Reduction

Giovanni Cataldi1,2,*, Simone Orlando3,1,2, and Jad C. Halimeh4,1,2,5,†

  • *Contact author: giovanni.cataldi@mpq.mpg.de
  • †Contact author: jad.halimeh@lmu.de
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Phys. Rev. Lett. 137, 161902 – Published 15 October, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/52gk-hh7y

Abstract

Understanding flux string dynamics can provide insight into quark confinement and hadronization. First-principles quantum and numerical simulations have mostly focused on toy-model Abelian lattice gauge theories (LGTs). With the advent of state-of-the-art quantum simulation experiments, it is timely to study string dynamics in non-Abelian LGTs beyond one spatial dimension. Using tensor network methods, we simulate the real-time string dynamics of a 2+1D SU(2) Yang-Mills LGT with dynamical matter. In the strong-coupling regime and at resonance, string breaking occurs via a sharp Casimir reduction, along with meson and baryon-antibaryon formation, a distinctively non-Abelian feature. At finite baryon density, we discover a baryon blockade mechanism that delays string breaking. Away from resonance, the magnetic term drives purely non-Abelian fluctuations: glueball-like excitations and self-crossed strings that resolve two SU(2) intertwiners with distinct dynamics. For higher-energy strings, we uncover representation-dependent tension-reduction resonances. Our findings serve as a guide for upcoming quantum simulators of non-Abelian LGTs.

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Outline

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Phys. Rev. Lett. 137, 161902– Published 15 October, 2026
  • Received 8 October 2025
  • Revised 20 June 2026
  • Accepted 10 September 2026
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