We consider a class of spin networks where each spin in a certain set interacts via Ising coupling with a single central spin. This is a common situation for instance in NV centers in diamonds. Due to the permutation symmetries of the network, the system is not globally controllable but it displays invariant subspaces of the underlying Hilbert space. The system is said to be subspace controllable if it is controllable on each of these subspaces. We characterize the given invariant subspaces and the dynamical Lie algebra of this class of systems and prove subspace controllability.
Controlling the dynamics of quantum systems has been a long-standing goal of quantum physics. To understand the controllability of a finite-dimensional quantum system is a fundamental problem in quantum control theory, but can be very challenging in many cases. In particular, results on controllability of open-loop coherently controlled closed quantum systems under symmetry constraints have been elusive. In this paper, we study the controllability of spin systems with some specific symmetry where spins are coupled via Ising interaction and manipulated collectively by a global control field. Based on Lie group and Lie algebra techniques, we find the conditions under which the system is universally controllable in its irreducible subspaces. We believe that the results obtained here will contribute to quantum controlling on symmetric quantum systems.
We describe a framework for the controllability analysis of networks of
n quantum systems of an arbitrary dimension
d, {\it qudits}, with dynamics determined by Hamiltonians that are invariant under the permutation group
Sn. Because of the symmetry, the underlying Hilbert space,
H=(Cd)⊗n, splits into invariant subspaces for the Lie algebra of
Sn-invariant elements in
u(dn), denoted here by
uSn(dn). The dynamical Lie algebra
L, which determines the controllability properties of the system, is a Lie subalgebra of such a Lie algebra
uSn(dn). If
L acts as
su(dim(V)) on each of the invariant subspaces
V, the system is called {\it subspace controllable}. Our approach is based on recognizing that such a splitting of the Hilbert space
H coincides with the {\it Clebsch-Gordan} splitting of
(Cd)⊗n into {\it irreducible representations} of
su(d). In this view,
uSn(dn), is the direct sum of certain
su(nj) for some
nj's we shall specify, and its {\it center} which is the Abelian (Lie) algebra generated by the {\it Casimir operators}. Generalizing the situation previously considered in the literature, we consider dynamics with arbitrary local simultaneous control on the qudits and a symmetric two body interaction. Most of the results presented are for general
n and
d but we recast previous results on
n qubits in this new general framework and provide a complete treatment and proof of subspace controllability for the new case of
n=3,
d=3, that is, {\it three qutrits}.
Abstract. This paper describes a framework for the controllability analysis of networks of [Formula: see text] quantum systems of an arbitrary dimension [Formula: see text] , qudits, with dynamics determined by Hamiltonians that are invariant under the permutation group [Formula: see text]. Because of the symmetry, the underlying Hilbert space, [Formula: see text], splits into invariant subspaces for the Lie algebra of [Formula: see text]-invariant elements in [Formula: see text], denoted here by [Formula: see text]. The dynamical Lie algebra [Formula: see text], which determines the controllability properties of the system, is a Lie subalgebra of such a Lie algebra [Formula: see text]. If [Formula: see text] acts as [Formula: see text] on each of the invariant subspaces [Formula: see text], the system is called subspace controllable. The described approach is based on recognizing that such a splitting of the Hilbert space [Formula: see text] coincides with the Clebsch–Gordan splitting of [Formula: see text] into irreducible representations of [Formula: see text]. In this view, [Formula: see text] is the direct sum of certain [Formula: see text] for some [Formula: see text]’s we shall specify and its center, which is the Abelian (Lie) algebra generated by the Casimir operators. Most of the results presented are for general [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], but the paper provides a complete treatment and proof of subspace controllability for the new case of a system with [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], that is, three qutrits. The results are motivated by recent great interest in symmetric quantum states and systems (see, e.g., [K. Eckert et al., Ann. Phys., 299 (2001), pp. 88–127], [A. W. Harrow, “The Church of the Symmetric Subspace,” https://arxiv.org/abs/1308.6595 , 2013], [P. Migdal, J. Rodriguez-Laguna, and M. Lewenstein, Phys. Rev. A, 88 (2013), 021335]) both at the theoretical and experimental levels and by recent proposals in geometric quantum machine learning [M. Cerezo et al., Nature Comput. Sci., 2 (2022), pp. 567–576], [Q. T. Nguyen et al., PRX Quant., 5 (2024), 020328] to exploit symmetries in the data and in quantum circuits to improve the performance of learning protocols.
We consider a network of n spin 12 systems which are pairwise interacting via Ising interaction and are controlled by the same electro-magnetic control field. Such a system presents symmetries since the Hamiltonian is unchanged if we permute two spins. This prevents full (operator) controllability, in that not every unitary evolution can be obtained. We prove however that controllability is verified if we restrict ourselves to unitary evolutions which preserve the above permutation invariance. For low dimensional cases, n = 2 and n = 3, we provide an analysis of the Lie group of available evolutions and give explicit control laws to transfer between two arbitrary permutation invariant states. This class of states includes highly entangled states such as Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) states and W states, which are of interest in quantum information.
We study the controllability of a system of qubits under global control, where control pulses act identically on all qubits. Specifically, we consider a collection of qubits identically coupled to a single bosonic mode, or harmonic oscillator, via the Jaynes-Cummings interaction. This collective coupling, known as the Tavis-Cummings (TC) interaction, has been realized in several quantum computing platforms, including superconducting and atomic qubit systems. Although the qubits do not interact directly with one another, they can become entangled through their common coupling to the bosonic mode. We characterize the group of unitaries that can be implemented on the joint Hilbert space of the qubits and bosonic mode using the TC interaction together with a global
z field
Jz, corresponding to identical z rotations on all qubits. We show that for n>2 qubits the set of realizable unitaries is restricted by an "accidental" symmetry of the TC Hamiltonian, distinct from its "standard" U(1) and permutational symmetries. On the other hand, we find that the Hamiltonian
Jz2 breaks this accidental symmetry and, together with the TC interaction and
Jz, achieves semi-universality: it allows the implementation of arbitrary unitaries that respect permutational and U(1) symmetry, up to certain constraints on the center of the group. In a companion paper, we further analyze this remarkable accidental symmetry and show that it can be understood through Schwinger's bosonic model of angular momentum.