-level quantum system (qudit) under a time-dependent Hamiltonian. In the present article, we introduce a new general formalism describing the unitary evolution of a qudit ( d ≥ 2 ) in terms of the Bloch-like vector space and specify how, in a general case, this formalism is related to finding time-dependent parameters in the exponential representation of the evolution operator under an arbitrary time-dependent Hamiltonian. Applying this new general formalism to a qubit case ( d = 2 ) , we specify the unitary evolution of a qubit via the evolution of a unit vector in R 4 , and this allows us to derive the precise analytical expression of the qubit unitary evolution operator for a wide class of nonstationary Hamiltonians. This new analytical expression includes the qubit solutions known in the literature only as particular cases.
-level quantum system (qudit) under a time-dependent Hamiltonian. In the present article, we introduce a new general formalism describing the unitary evolution of a qudit ( d ≥ 2 ) in terms of the Bloch-like vector space and specify how, in a general case, this formalism is related to finding time-dependent parameters in the exponential representation of the evolution operator under an arbitrary time-dependent Hamiltonian. Applying this new general formalism to a qubit case ( d = 2 ) , we specify the unitary evolution of a qubit via the evolution of a unit vector in R 4 , and this allows us to derive the precise analytical expression of the qubit unitary evolution operator for a wide class of nonstationary Hamiltonians. This new analytical expression includes the qubit solutions known in the literature only as particular cases.
Abstract In the present article, we consistently develop the main issues of the Bloch vectors formalism for an arbitrary finite-dimensional quantum system. In the frame of this formalism, qudit states and their evolution in time, qudit observables and their expectations, entanglement and nonlocality, etc are expressed in terms of the Bloch vectors—the vectors in the Euclidean space R d 2 − 1 , arising under decompositions of observables and states in different operator bases. Within this formalism, we specify for all d ⩾ 2 the set of Bloch vectors of traceless qudit observables and describe its properties; also, find for the sets of the Bloch vectors of qudit states, pure and mixed, the new compact expressions in terms of the operator norms that explicitly reveal the general properties of these sets and have the unified form for all d ⩾ 2. For the sets of the Bloch vectors of qudit states under the generalized Gell‐Mann representation, these general properties cannot be analytically extracted from the known equivalent specifications of these sets via the system of algebraic equations. We derive the general equations describing the time evolution of the Bloch vector of a qudit state if a qudit system is isolated and if it is open and find for both cases the main properties of the Bloch vector evolution in time. For a pure bipartite state of a dimension d 1 × d 2 , we quantify its entanglement via the characteristics of the Bloch vectors for its reduced states. The introduced general formalism is important both for the theoretical analysis of quantum system properties and for quantum applications, in particular, for optimal quantum control, since, for systems where states are described by vectors in the Euclidean space, the methods of optimal control, analytical and numerical, are well developed.
In the geometry of quantum-mechanical processes, the time-varying curvature coefficient of a quantum evolution is specified by the magnitude squared of the covariant derivative of the tangent vector to the state vector. In particular, the curvature coefficient measures the bending of the quantum curve traced out by a parallel-transported pure quantum state that evolves in a unitary fashion under a nonstationary Hamiltonian that specifies the Schr\"odinger evolution equation. In this paper, we present an exact analytical expression of the curvature of a quantum evolution for a two-level quantum system immersed in a time-dependent magnetic field. Specifically, we study the dynamics generated by a two-parameter nonstationary Hermitian Hamiltonian with unit speed efficiency. The two parameters specify the constant temporal rates of change of the polar and azimuthal angles used in the Bloch sphere representation of the evolving pure state. To better grasp the physical significance of the curvature coefficient, showing that the quantum curve is nongeodesic since the geodesic efficiency of the quantum evolution is strictly less than 1 and tuning the two Hamiltonian parameters, we compare the temporal behavior of the curvature coefficient with that of the speed and the acceleration of the evolution of the system in projective Hilbert space. Furthermore, we compare the temporal profile of the curvature coefficient with that of the square of the ratio between the parallel and transverse magnetic field intensities. Finally, we discuss the challenges in finding exact analytical solutions when extending our geometric approach to higher-dimensional quantum systems that evolve unitarily under an arbitrary time-dependent Hermitian Hamiltonian.
A simple systematic way of obtaining analytically solvable Hamiltonians for quantum two-level systems is presented. In this method, a time-dependent Hamiltonian and the resulting unitary evolution operator are connected through an arbitrary function of time, furnishing us with new analytically solvable cases. The method is surprisingly simple, direct, and transparent and is applicable to a wide class of two-level Hamiltonians with no involved constraint on the input function. A few examples illustrate how the method leads to simple solvable Hamiltonians and dynamics.
The evolution operator U(t) for a time-independent parity-time-symmetric systems is well studied in the literature. However, for the non-Hermitian time-dependent systems, a closed form expression for the evolution operator is not available. In this paper, we make use of a procedure, originally developed by A.R.P. Rau [Phys.Rev.Lett, 81, 4785-4789 (1998)], in the context of deriving the solution of Liuville-Bloch equations in the product form of exponential operators when time-dependent external fields are present, for the evaluation of U(t) in the interaction picture wherein the corresponding Hamiltonian is time-dependent and in general non-Hermitian. This amounts to a transformation of the whole scheme in terms of addressing a nonlinear Riccati equation the existence of whose solutions depends on the fulfillment of a certain accompanying integrabilty condition.
We introduce a new approach for describing nonstationary quantum systems with a discrete energy spectrum. The essence of this approach is that we describe the evolution of a quantum system in a time-dependent basis. In a sense, this approach is similar to the description of the system in the interaction representation. However, the time dependence of the basic states of the representation is determined not by the evolution operator with a time-independent Hamiltonian but by the eigenstates of the time-dependent Hamiltonian defined at the current time. The time dependence of the basic states of the representation leads to the appearance of an additional term in the Schrödinger equation, which in the case of slowly changing parameters of the Hamiltonian can be considered as a small perturbation. The adiabatic representation is suitable in cases where it is impossible to apply the standard interaction representation. The application of the adiabatic representation is illustrated by the example of two spins connected by a magnetic dipole–dipole interaction in a slowly varying external magnetic field.
The evolution operator U(t) for a time-independent parity-time-symmetric systems is well studied in the literature.However, for the non-Hermitian time-dependent systems, a closed form expression for the evolution operator is not available.In this paper, we make use of a procedure, originally developed by A.R.P. Rau [Phys.Rev.Lett, 81, 4785-4789 (1998)], in the context of deriving the solution of Liuville-Bloch equations in the product form of exponential operators when time-dependent external fields are present, for the evaluation of U(t) in the interaction picture wherein the corresponding Hamiltonian is time-dependent and in general non-Hermitian.This amounts to a transformation of the whole scheme in terms of addressing a nonlinear Riccati equation the existence of whose solutions depends on the fulfillment of a certain accompanying integrability condition.