Quantum Computing with NMR
A review of progress in NMR quantum computing and a brief survey of the literature
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arXiv subjects
Jonathan A. Jones
Publications and source records attributed to Jonathan A. Jones.
Preparing pseudo-pure states with controlled-transfer gates
The preparation of pseudo-pure states plays a central role in the implementation of quantum information processing in high temperature ensemble systems, such as nuclear magnetic resonance. Here we describe a simple approach based on controlled-transfer gates which permits pseudo-pure states to be prepared efficiently using spatial averaging techniques.
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Spin-selective reactions of radical pairs act as quantum measurements
Since the 1970s, spin-selective reactions of radical pairs have been modelled theoretically by adding phenomenological rate equations to the quantum mechanical equation of motion of the radical pair spin density matrix. Here, using a quantum measurement approach, we derive an alternative set of rate expressions which predict a faster decay of coherent superpositions of the singlet and triplet radical pair states. The difference between the two results, however, is not dramatic and would probably be difficult to distinguish experimentally from decoherence arising from other sources.
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Magnetic field sensing beyond the standard quantum limit using 10-spin NOON states
The concept of entanglement, in which coherent quantum states become inextricably correlated, has evolved from one of the most startling and controversial outcomes of quantum mechanics to the enabling principle of emerging technologies such as quantum computation and quantum sensors. The use of entangled particles in measurement permits the transcendence of the standard quantum limit in sensitivity, which scales as N^1/2 for N particles, to the Heisenberg limit, which scales as N. This approach has been applied to optical interferometry using entangled photons and spin pairs for the measurement of magnetic fields and improvements on atomic clocks. Here, we demonstrate experimentally an 9.4-fold increase in sensitivity to an external magnetic field of a 10-spin entangled state, compared with an isolated spin, using nuclear spins in a highly symmetric molecule. This approach scales in a favourable way compared to systems where qubit loss is prevalent, and paves the way for enhanced precision in magnetic field sensing
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Composite pulses in NMR quantum computation
I describe the use of techniques based on composite rotations to combat systematic errors in quantum logic gates. Although developed and described within the context of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) quantum computing these sequences should be applicable to other implementations of quantum computation.
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NMR implementations of Gauss sums
I describe the use of NMR experiments which implement Gauss sums as a method for factoring numbers and discuss whether this approach can be computationally useful.
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Arbitrary precision composite pulses for NMR quantum computing
We discuss the implementation of arbitrary precision composite pulses developed using the methods of Brown et al. [Phys. Rev. A 70 (2004) 052318]. We give explicit results for pulse sequences designed to tackle both the simple case of pulse length errors and for the more complex case of off-resonance errors. The results are developed in the context of NMR quantum computation, but could be applied more widely.
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Single qubit gates by selective excitation with Jump and Return sequences
We discuss the implementation of frequency selective rotations using sequences of hard pulses and delays. These rotations are suitable for implementing single qubit gates in Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) quantum computers, but can also be used in other related implementations of quantum computing. We also derive methods for implementing hard pulses in the presence of moderate off-resonance effects, and describe a simple procedure for implementing a hard 180 degree rotation in a two spin system. Finally we show how these two approaches can be combined to produce more accurate frequency selective rotations.
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NMR analogues of the quantum Zeno effect
We describe Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) demonstrations of the quantum Zeno effect, and discuss briefly how these are related to similar phenomena in more conventional NMR experiments.
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Quantum Information Processing with Delocalized Qubits under Global Control
Any technology for quantum information processing (QIP) must embody within it quantum bits (qubits) and maintain control of their key quantum properties of superposition and entanglement. Typical QIP schemes envisage an array of physical systems, such as electrons or nuclei, with each system representing a given qubit. For adequate control, systems must be distinguishable either by physical separation or unique frequencies, and their mutual interactions must be individually manipulable. These difficult requirements exclude many nanoscale technologies where systems are densely packed and continuously interacting. Here we demonstrate a new paradigm: restricting ourselves to global control pulses we permit systems to interact freely and continuously, with the consequence that qubits can become delocalized over the entire device. We realize this using NMR studies of three carbon-13 nuclei in alanine, demonstrating all the key aspects including a quantum mirror, one- and two-qubit gates, permutation of densely packed qubits and Deutsch algorithms.
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Robust Logic Gates and Realistic Quantum Computation
The composite rotation approach has been used to develop a range of robust quantum logic gates, including single qubit gates and two qubit gates, which are resistant to systematic errors in their implementation. Single qubit gates based on the BB1 family of composite rotations have been experimentally demonstrated in a variety of systems, but little study has been made of their application in extended computations, and there has been no experimental study of the corresponding robust two qubit gates to date. Here we describe an application of robust gates to Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) studies of approximate quantum counting. We find that the BB1 family of robust gates is indeed useful, but that the related NB1, PB1, B4 and P4 families of tailored logic gates are less useful than initially expected.
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Experimental Heat-Bath Cooling of Spins
Algorithmic cooling is a novel technique to generate ensembles of highly polarized spins, which could significantly improve the signal strength in Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. It combines reversible (entropy-preserving) manipulations and irreversible controlled interactions with the environment, using simple quantum computing techniques to increase spin polarization far beyond the Shannon entropy-conservation bound. Notably, thermalization is beneficially employed as an integral part of the cooling scheme, contrary to its ordinary destructive implications. We report the first cooling experiments bypassing Shannon's entropy-conservation bound, performed on a standard liquid-state NMR spectrometer. We believe that this experimental success could pave the way for the first near-future application of quantum computing devices.
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Error tolerance in an NMR Implementation of Grover's Fixed-Point Quantum Search Algorithm
We describe an implementation of Grover's fixed-point quantum search algorithm on a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) quantum computer, searching for either one or two matching items in an unsorted database of four items. In this new algorithm the target state (an equally weighted superposition of the matching states) is a fixed point of the recursive search operator, and so the algorithm always moves towards the desired state. The effects of systematic errors in the implementation are briefly explored.
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Suppressing Weak Ising Couplings: Tailored Gates for Quantum Computation
I describe the use of techniques based on composite rotations to develop controlled phase gates in which the effects of weak Ising couplings are suppressed. A tailored composite phase gate is described which both suppresses weak couplings and is relatively insensitive to systematic errors in the size of strong couplings.
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Robust quantum information processing with techniques from liquid state NMR
While Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) techniques are unlikely to lead to a large scale quantum computer they are well suited to investigating basic phenomena and developing new techniques. Indeed it is likely that many existing NMR techniques will find uses in quantum information processing. Here I describe how the composite rotation (composite pulse) method can be used to develop quantum logic gates which are robust against systematic errors.
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Robust Ising Gates for Practical Quantum Computation
I describe the use of techniques based on composite rotations to combat systematic errors in controlled phase gates, which form the basis of two qubit quantum logic gates. Although developed and described within the context of Nuclear Magnetic Resonanace (NMR) quantum computing these sequences should be applicable to any implementation of quantum computation based on Ising couplings. In combination with existing single qubit gates this provides a universal set of robust quantum logic gates.
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