Realization of a Pfaffian quantum Hall state with ultracold bosons 

The Pfaffian (Moore-Read) wavefunction, proposed to describe the \nu = 5/2 fractional quantum Hall state, encodes a paired p-wave superfluid and hosts non-Abelian anyons relevant for topological quantum computation. We report the realization of a three-particle Pfaffian quantum Hall state of ultracold bosons. Using the single-atom control of our quantum simulator, we engineer and probe the state via a machine-learning–optimized ramp that connects a simple initial state to the Pfaffian. The resulting low-temperature state reveals the characteristic pairing physics of the Pfaffian wavefunction, establishing a controlled route toward synthetic fractional quantum Hall states in atomic platforms.