We consider the dissipative single-qubit circuit QED architecture in which the atomic transition frequency undergoes a weak external time modulation. For sinusoidal modulation with linearly varying frequency we derive effective Hamiltonians that resemble the Landau-Zener problem of finite duration associated with a two- or multilevel systems. The corresponding off-diagonal coupling coefficients originate either from the rotating or the counter-rotating terms in the Rabi Hamiltonian, depending on the values of the modulation frequency. It is demonstrated that in the dissipationless case one can accomplish almost complete transitions between the eigenstates of the bare Rabi Hamiltonian even for relatively short durations of the frequency sweep. To assess the experimental feasibility of our scheme we solved numerically the phenomenological and the microscopic quantum master equations in the Markovian regime at zero temperature. Both models exhibit qualitatively similar behavior and indicate that photon generation from vacuum via effective Landau-Zener transitions could be implemented with the current technology on the time scales of a few microseconds. Moreover, unlike the harmonic dynamical Casimir effect implementations, our proposal does not require precise knowledge of the resonant modulation frequency to accomplish meaningful photon generation.
We consider the dissipative single-qubit circuit QED architecture in which the atomic transition frequency undergoes a weak external time modulation. For sinusoidal modulation with linearly varying frequency we derive effective Hamiltonians that resemble the Landau-Zener problem of finite duration associated with a two- or multilevel systems. The corresponding off-diagonal coupling coefficients originate either from the rotating or the counter-rotating terms in the Rabi Hamiltonian, depending on the values of the modulation frequency. It is demonstrated that in the dissipationless case one can accomplish almost complete transitions between the eigenstates of the bare Rabi Hamiltonian even for relatively short durations of the frequency sweep. To assess the experimental feasibility of our scheme we solved numerically the phenomenological and the microscopic quantum master equations in the Markovian regime at zero temperature. Both models exhibit qualitatively similar behavior and indicate that photon generation from vacuum via effective Landau-Zener transitions could be implemented with the current technology on the time scales of a few microseconds. Moreover, unlike the harmonic dynamical Casimir effect implementations, our proposal does not require precise knowledge of the resonant modulation frequency to accomplish meaningful photon generation.
We study theoretically the nonstationary circuit QED system in which the artificial atom transition frequency, or the atom-cavity coupling, have a small periodic time modulation, prescribed externally. The system formed by the atom coupled to a single cavity mode is described by the Rabi Hamiltonian. We show that, in the dispersive regime, when the modulation periodicity is tuned to the 'resonances', the system dynamics presents the dynamical Casimir effect, resonant Jaynes-Cummings or resonant Anti-Jaynes-Cummings behaviors, and it can be described by the corresponding effective Hamiltonians. In the resonant atom-cavity regime and under the resonant modulation, the dynamics is similar to the one occurring for a stationary two-level atom in a vibrating cavity, and an entangled state with two photons can be created from vacuum. Moreover, we consider the situation in which the atom-cavity coupling, the atomic frequency, or both have a small non-periodic time modulation, and show that photons can be created from vacuum in the dispersive regime. Therefore, an analog of the dynamical Casimir effect can be simulated in circuit QED, and several photons, as well as entangled states, can be generated from vacuum due to the anti-rotating term in the Rabi Hamiltonian.
We study theoretically the non-stationary circuit QED system in which the artificial atom transition frequency has a small periodic modulation in time, prescribed externally. We show that, in the dispersive regime, when the modulation periodicity meets the `resonances', the dynamics may be described by the dynamical Casimir effect, Jaynes-Cummings or Anti-Jaynes-Cummings effective Hamiltonians. In the resonant atom-cavity regime, under the modulation `resonance' the dynamics resembles the behavior of the dynamical Casimir effect in a vibrating cavity containing a resonant two-level atom, and entangled states with two photons can be created from vacuum. Thus, an analog of the dynamical Casimir effect may be simulated in circuit QED, and several photons, as well as entangled states, can be generated from vacuum due to the anti-rotating term in the Rabi Hamiltonian.
Abstract We consider the nonstationary circuit quantum electrodynamics (circuit QED) architecture, where a single artificial two-level atom interacts with a cavity field mode under external modulation of one or more system parameters. Two different approaches are employed to study the effects of Markovian dissipation on modulation-induced transitions between the atom–field dressed states: the standard master equation of quantum optics and the recently formulated dressed-picture master equation. We estimate the associated transition rates and show that photon generation from vacuum (‘dynamical Casimir effect’, DCE) and coherent photon annihilation from nonvacuum states (‘anti-DCE’) are possible with the current state-of-the-art parameters.
Abstract We investigate analytically and numerically the nonstationary circuit QED setup in which N independent qubits interact with a single mode of the Electromagnetic field confined in a resonator. We consider the harmonic time modulation of some parameter (atomic transition frequency or the atom-field coupling strength) and derive the unitary dynamics up to the second order in the modulation depth for N = 1 and N ≫ 1 . It is shown that all the resonant phenomena that occur for modulation frequencies ∼ 2 ω 0 (where ω 0 is the cavity frequency) also occur for the halved frequencies. However, in the latter case the associated transition rates are significantly smaller and the modulation of the coupling strength is less effective. The transition rates are evaluated explicitly and the prospects of employing the second-order resonances in the phenomena related to the dynamical Casimir effect are examined.
We investigate multiple photon-assisted Landau–Zener (LZ) transitions in a hybrid circuit quantum electrodynamics device in which each of two interacting transmission-line resonators is coupled to a qubit, and the qubits are driven by periodic driving fields and also coupled to a common phonon mode. The quantum state of the entire composite system is modeled using the multi-D2 Ansatz in combination with the time-dependent Dirac–Frenkel variational principle. Applying a sinusoidal driving field to one of the qubits, this device is an ideal platform to study the photon-assisted LZ transitions by comparing the dynamics of the two qubits. A series of interfering photon-assisted LZ transitions takes place if the photon frequency is much smaller than the driving amplitude. Once the two energy scales are comparable, independent LZ transitions arise and a transition pathway is revealed using an energy diagram. It is found that both adiabatic and nonadiabatic transitions are involved in the dynamics. Used to model environmental effects on the LZ transitions, the common phonon mode coupled to the qubits allows for more available states to facilitate the LZ transitions. An analytical formula is obtained to estimate the short time phonon population and produces results in reasonable agreement with numerical calculations. Equipped with the knowledge of the photon-assisted LZ transitions in the system, we can precisely manipulate the qubit state and successfully generate the qubit dynamics with a square-wave pattern by applying driving fields to both qubits, opening up new venues to manipulate the states of qubits and photons in quantum information devices and quantum computers.
A qubit may undergo Landau‐Zener transitions due to its coupling to one or several quantum harmonic oscillators. First we show that for a qubit coupled to one oscillator, Landau‐Zener transitions can be used for single‐photon generation and for the controllable creation of qubit‐oscillator entanglement, with state‐of‐the‐art circuit QED as a promising realization. Second, for a qubit coupled to two cavities, we show that Landau‐Zener sweeps of the qubit are well suited for the robust creation of entangled cavity states, in particular symmetric Bell states, with the qubit acting as the entanglement mediator. Finally, for a qubit coupled to an environment or bath we propose to employ dissipative Landau‐Zener sweeps of the qubit for the detection of bath properties. At the heart of our proposals lies the calculation of the exact Landau‐Zener transition probability for the qubit, by summing all orders of the corresponding series in time‐dependent perturbation theory.