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arXiv:1405.7169 · Physical Review A

Experimental implementation of quantum gates through actuator qubits

Jingfu Zhang, Daniel Klaus Burgarth, Raymond Laflamme, Dieter Suter

Published Jan 22, 2015• 8 citations
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Abstract

Universal quantum computation requires the implementation of arbitrary control operations on the quantum register. In most cases, this is achieved by external control fields acting selectively on each qubit to drive single-qubit operations. In combination with a drift Hamiltonian containing interactions between the qubits, this allows the implementation of arbitrary gate operations. Here, we demonstrate an alternative scheme that does not require local control for all qubits: we implement one- and two-qubit gate operations on a set of target qubits indirectly, through a combination of gates on directly controlled actuator qubits with a drift Hamiltonian that couples actuator and target qubits. Experiments are performed on nuclear spins, using radio-frequency pulses as gate operations and magnetic-dipole couplings for the drift Hamiltonian.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.91.012330

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Universal quantum computation requires the implementation of arbitrary control operations on the quantum register. In most cases, this is achieved by external control fields acting selectively on each qubit to drive single-qubit operations. In combination with a drift Hamiltonian containing interactions between the qubits, this allows the implementation of arbitrary gate operations. Here, we demonstrate an alternative scheme that does not require local control for all qubits: we implement one- and two-qubit gate operations on a set of target qubits indirectly, through a combination of gates on directly controlled actuator qubits with a drift Hamiltonian that couples actuator and target qubits. Experiments are performed on nuclear spins, using radio-frequency pulses as gate operations and magnetic-dipole couplings for the drift Hamiltonian.
We introduce a model of quantum computation intermediate between the gate-based and measurement-based models. A quantum register is manipulated remotely with the help of a single ancilla that ``drives'' the evolution of the register. The fully controlled ancilla qubit is coupled to the computational register only via a fixed unitary two-qubit interaction and then measured in suitable bases, driving both single- and two-qubit operations on the register. Arbitrary single-qubit operations directly on register qubits are not needed. We characterize all interactions EEE that induce a unitary, stepwise deterministic measurement back-action on the register sufficient to implement any quantum channel. Our scheme offers experimental advantages for computation, state preparation, and generalized measurements, since no tunable control of the register is required.
We characterize a model of universal quantum computation where the register (computational) qubits are controlled by ancillary qubits, using only a single fixed interaction between register and ancillary qubits. No additional access is required to the computational register and the dynamics of both the register and ancilla are unitary. This scheme is inspired by the measurement-based ancilla-driven quantum computation of Anders et al. [Phys. Rev. A 82, 020301(R) (2010)], but does not require measurements of the ancillas, and in this respect is similar to the original gate-based model of quantum computation. We consider what possible forms this ancilla-register interaction can take, with a proof that the interaction is necessarily locally equivalent to swap combined with an entangling controlled gate. We further show which Hamiltonians can create such interactions and discuss two examples; the two-qubit XY Hamiltonian and a particular case of the XXZ Hamiltonian. We then give an example of a simple, finite, and fault-tolerant gate set for universal quantum computation in this model.
Indirect control of qubits by a quantum actuator has been proposed as an appealing strategy to manipulate qubits that couple only weakly to external fields. While universal quantum control can be easily achieved when the actuator-qubit coupling is anisotropic, the efficiency of this approach is less clear. Here we analyze the time-efficiency of the quantum actuator control. We describe a strategy to find time-optimal control sequence by the quantum actuator and compare their gate times with direct driving, identifying regimes where the actuator control performs faster. As an example, we focus on a specific implementation based on the Nitrogen-Vacancy center electronic spin in diamond (the actuator) and nearby carbon-13 nuclear spins (the qubits).
Hybrid quantum registers, such as electron-nuclear spin systems, have emerged as promising hardware for implementing quantum information and computing protocols in scalable systems. Nevertheless, the coherent control of such systems still faces challenges. Particularly, the lower gyromagnetic ratios of the nuclear spins cause them to respond slowly to control fields, resulting in gate times that are generally longer than the coherence time of the electron. Here, we demonstrate a scheme for circumventing this problem by indirect control: we apply a small number of short pulses only to the electron and let the full system undergo free evolution under the hyperfine coupling between the pulses. Using this scheme, we realize robust quantum gates in an electron-nuclear spin system, including a Hadamard gate on the nuclear spin and a controlled-NOT gate with the nuclear spin as the target qubit. The durations of these gates are shorter than the electron coherence time, and thus additional operations to extend the system coherence time are not needed. Our demonstration serves as a proof of concept for achieving efficient coherent control of electron-nuclear spin systems, such as nitrogen vacancy centers in diamond. Our scheme is still applicable when the nuclear spins are only weakly coupled to the electron.
We introduce the concept of quantum actuators as mediators for globally controlled quantum computation. Auxiliary quantum systems act as controllable elements that transiently store and release interaction energy, enabling the selective activation of multi-qubit gates within globally driven architectures. During compilation they remain passive and require no fine-grained local control, while during operation they allow for controlled activation of interactions and directional flow of quantum information. We provide a framework for embedding quantum actuators in globally controlled processors, showing how they enhance connectivity, enable long-range entangling operations, and bridge distant regions without increasing local control overhead. We discuss physical implementations and architectural strategies illustrating how these elements extend the capabilities of global-control schemes. A complementary interpretation in terms of quantum batteries naturally emerges, connecting global-control architectures with concepts from quantum thermodynamics while highlighting the distinct operational role of quantum actuators.
We propose and demonstrate a quantum control scheme for hybrid quantum registers that can reduce the operation time, and therefore the effects of relaxation, compared to existing implementations. It combines resonant excitation pulses with periods of free precession under the internal Hamiltonian of the qubit system. We use this scheme to implement quantum gates like controlled-NOT operations on electronic and nuclear spins of the nitrogen-vacancy center in diamond. As a specific application, we transfer population between electronic and nuclear spin qubits and use it to measure the Rabi oscillations of a nuclear spin in a system with multiple coupled spins.