Simulating Ising and Potts models and external fields with non-equilibrium condensates

Phys. Rev. Lett. 121, 235302 (2018) Classical spin models with discrete or continuous degrees of freedom arise in many studies of complex physical systems. A wide class of hard real-life optimisation problems can be formulated as a minimisation of a spin Hamiltonian. Here we show how to simulate the discrete Ising and Potts models with or without external fields using the physical gain-dissipative platforms with continuous phases such as lasers and various non-equilibrium Bose-Einstein condensates. The underlying operational principle originates from a combination of resonant and non-resonant pumping. Our results lay grounds for the physical simulations of a broad range of Hamiltonians with complex interactions that can vary in time and space and with combined symmetries.