arXiv subjects
Publications and source records attributed to S. G. Schirmer.
We show how to apply Lyapunov control design to the problem of entanglement creation between two atoms in distant cavities connected by optical fibers. The Lyapunov control design is optimal in the sense that the distance from the target state decreases monotonically and exponentially, and the concurrence increases accordingly. This method is far more robust than simple geometric schemes.
We present an empirical strategy to determine the Hamiltonian dynamics of a two-qubit system using only initialization and measurement in a single fixed basis. Signal parameters are estimated from measurement data using Bayesian methods from which the underlying Hamiltonian is reconstructed, up to three unobservable phase factors. We extend the method to achieve full control Hamiltonian tomography for controllable systems via a multi-step approach. The technique is demonstrated and evaluated by analyzing data from simulated experiments including projection noise.
We describe a mechanism for realizing a controlled phase gate for solid-state charge qubits. By augmenting the positionally defined qubit with an auxiliary state, and changing the charge distribution in the three-dot system, we are able to effectively switch the Coulombic interaction, effecting an entangling gate. We consider two architectures, and numerically investigate their robustness to gate noise.
Physical constraints such as positivity endow the set of quantum states with a rich geometry if the system dimension is greater than two. To shed some light on the complicated structure of the set of quantum states, we consider a stratification with strata given by unitary orbit manifolds, which can be identified with flag manifolds. The results are applied to study the geometry of the coherence vector for n-level quantum systems. It is shown that the unitary orbits can be naturally identified with spheres in R^{n^2-1} only for n=2. In higher dimensions the coherence vector only defines a non-surjective embedding into a closed ball. A detailed analysis of the three-level case is presented. Finally, a refined stratification in terms of symplectic orbits is considered.
We consider a mechanism to generate controllable qudit-qudit interactions in a charge-position paradigm for a quantum computer, through the use of auxiliary states. By controlling the tunneling rates onto these auxiliaries from the qudits proper, we can controllably switch the entangling operations. We consider a practical architecture in which to realize such a computer and examine the associated Hilbert space dimension.
We consider a quantum system with a finite number of distinguishable quantum states, which may be partitioned freely by a number of quantum particles, assumed to be maximally entangled. We show that if we partition the system into a number of qudits, then the Hilbert space dimension is maximized when each quantum particle is allowed to represent a qudit of order $e$. We demonstrate that the dimensionality of an entangled system, constrained by the total number quantum states, partitioned so as to maximize the number of qutrits will always exceed the dimensionality of other qudit partitioning. We then show that if we relax the requirement of partitioning the system into qudits, but instead let the particles exist in any given state, that the Hilbert space dimension is greatly increased.
An overview and synthesis of results and criteria for open-loop controllability of Hamiltonian quantum systems obtained using Lie group and Lie algebra techniques is presented. Negative results for open-loop controllability of dissipative systems are discussed, and the superiority of closed-loop (feedback) control for quantum systems is established.
We address the question of which quantum states can be inter-converted under the action of a time-dependent Hamiltonian. In particular, we consider the problem applied to mixed states, and investigate the difference between pure and mixed-state controllability introduced in previous work. We provide a complete characterization of the eigenvalue spectrum for which the state is controllable under the action of the symplectic group. We also address the problem of which states can be prepared if the dynamical Lie group is not sufficiently large to allow the system to be controllable.
We demonstrate how structured decompositions of unitary operators can be employed to derive control schemes for finite-level quantum systems that require only sequences of simple control pulses such as square wave pulses with finite rise and decay times or Gaussian wavepackets. To illustrate the technique it is applied to find control schemes to achieve population transfers for pure-state systems, complete inversions of the ensemble populations for mixed-state systems, create arbitrary superposition states and optimize the ensemble average of dynamic observables.
Precise definitions for different degrees of controllability for quantum systems are given, and necessary and sufficient conditions are discussed. The results are applied to determine the degree of controllability for various atomic systems with degenerate energy levels and transition frequencies.
The problem of identifying the dynamical Lie algebras of finite-level quantum systems subject to external control is considered, with special emphasis on systems that are not completely controllable. In particular, it is shown that the dynamical Lie algebra for an N-level system with equally spaced energy levels and uniform transition dipole moments, is a subalgebra for $so(N)$ if $N=2\ell+1$, and a subalgebra of $sp(\ell)$ if $N=2\ell$. General conditions for obtaining either $so(2\ell+1)$ or $sp(\ell)$ are established.
In this note we give an introduction to the topic of quantum control, explaining what its objectives are, and describing some of its limitations.
Structured decompositions of a desired unitary operator are employed to derive control schemes that achieve certain control objectives for finite-level quantum systems using only sequences of simple control pulses such as square waves with finite rise and decay times or Gaussian wavepackets. The technique is applied to find control schemes that achieve population transfers for pure-state systems, complete inversions of the ensemble populations for mixed-state systems, create arbitrary superposition states and optimize the ensemble average of observables.
Sufficient conditions for complete controllability of $N$-level quantum systems subject to a single control pulse that addresses multiple allowed transitions concurrently are established. The results are applied in particular to Morse and harmonic-oscillator systems, as well as some systems with degenerate energy levels. Morse and harmonic oscillators serve as models for molecular bonds, and the standard control approach of using a sequence of frequency-selective pulses to address a single transition at a time is either not applicable or only of limited utility for such systems.
The detrimental effect of spontaneous emission on the performance of control schemes designed to achieve population inversion between the ground state and a highly excited atomic state are studied using computer simulations.
A general scheme for building a quantum memory by transferring quantum information to an essentially decoherence-free memory transition using quantum control is presented and illustrated by computer simulations.
Complete controllability is a fundamental issue in the field of control of quantum systems, not least because of its implications for dynamical realizability of the kinematical bounds on the optimization of observables. In this paper we investigate the question of complete controllability for finite-level quantum systems subject to a single control field, for which the interaction is of dipole form. Sufficient criteria for complete controllability of a wide range of finite-level quantum systems are established and the question of limits of complete controllability is addressed. Finally, the results are applied to give a classification of complete controllability for four-level systems.
In this paper we investigate the limits of control for mixed-state quantum systems. The constraint of unitary evolution for non-dissipative quantum systems imposes kinematical bounds on the optimization of arbitrary observables. We summarize our previous results on kinematical bounds and show that these bounds are dynamically realizable for completely controllable systems. Moreover, we establish improved bounds for certain partially controllable systems. Finally, the question of dynamical realizability of the bounds for arbitary partially controllable systems is shown to depend on the accessible sets of the associated control system on the unitary group U(N) and the results of a few control computations are discussed briefly.