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arXiv:2511.10472

Shortcuts to adiabaticity for coherent atom transport in an adjustable family of two-dimensional optical lattices

Sascha H. Hauck, Vladimir M. Stojanovic

quant-phSubmitted Nov 13, 2025• Announced Nov 14, 2025• 0 citations
v1 · Nov 13, 2025v2 · Feb 9, 2026
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Abstract

Motivated by the compelling need for coherent atom transport in a variety of emerging quantum technologies, we investigate such transport on the example of an adjustable family of two-dimensional optical lattices [L. Tarruell {\em et al.}, Nature (London) 483, 302 (2012)] that includes square, triangular, honeycomb, dimerized, and checkerboard lattices as its special cases; dynamical optical lattices of this type have already been utilized for the demonstration of topological pumping and the realiza- tion of two-qubit quantum gates with neutral atoms. At the outset, we propose the appropriate arrangements of acousto-optic modulators that give rise to a frequency imbalance between coun- terpropagating laser beams, thus leading to the dynamical-lattice effect in an arbitrary direction in the lattice plane. We subsequently obtain the dynamical-lattice trajectories that enable atom transport using shortcuts to adiabaticity (STA) in the form of inverse engineering based on a dy- namical invariant of Lewis-Riesenfeld type. We then quantify the resulting atom dynamics using the transport fidelity computed from the numerical solutions of the relevant time-dependent Schroedinger equation. We do so for various choices of the system parameters and transport directions, finding favorable results for the achievable transport times and robustness of the resulting transport to various experimental imperfections.

Comments
14 pages, 8 figures

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Motivated by the compelling need for coherent atom transport in a variety of emerging quantum technologies, we investigate such transport on the example of an adjustable family of two-dimensional optical lattices [L. Tarruell {\em et al.}, Nature (London) 483, 302 (2012)] that includes square, triangular, honeycomb, dimerized, and checkerboard lattices as its special cases; dynamical optical lattices of this type have already been utilized for the demonstration of topological pumping and the realiza- tion of two-qubit quantum gates with neutral atoms. At the outset, we propose the appropriate arrangements of acousto-optic modulators that give rise to a frequency imbalance between coun- terpropagating laser beams, thus leading to the dynamical-lattice effect in an arbitrary direction in the lattice plane. We subsequently obtain the dynamical-lattice trajectories that enable atom transport using shortcuts to adiabaticity (STA) in the form of inverse engineering based on a dy- namical invariant of Lewis-Riesenfeld type. We then quantify the resulting atom dynamics using the transport fidelity computed from the numerical solutions of the relevant time-dependent Schroedinger equation. We do so for various choices of the system parameters and transport directions, finding favorable results for the achievable transport times and robustness of the resulting transport to various experimental imperfections.
Theoretical studies of coherent atom transport have as yet mainly been restricted to one-dimensional model systems with harmonic trapping potentials. Here we investigate this important phenomenon---a prerequisite for a variety of quantum-technology applications based on cold neutral atoms---under much more complex physical circumstances. More specifically yet, we study fast atomic transport in a moving double-well optical lattice, whose three-dimensional (anharmonic) potential is nonseparable in the xxx-yyy plane. We first propose specific configurations of acousto-optic modulators that give rise to the moving-lattice effect in an arbitrary direction in this plane. We then determine moving-lattice trajectories that enable single-atom transport using two classes of quantum-control methods: shortcuts to adiabaticity (STA), here utilized in the form of inverse engineering based on a quadratic-in-momentum dynamical invariant of Lewis-Riesenfeld type, and their recently proposed modification termed enhanced STA (eSTA). Subsequently, we quantify the resulting single-atom dynamics by numerically solving the relevant time-dependent Schr\"odinger equations and compare the efficiency of STA- and eSTA-based transport by evaluating the respective fidelities. We show that---except for the regime of shallow lattices---the eSTA method consistently outperforms its STA counterpart. This study has direct implications for neutral-atom quantum computing based on collisional entangling two-qubit gates and quantum sensing of constant homogeneous forces via guided-atom interferometry.
Fast and nearly lossless atomic transport, enabled by moving the confining trap, is a prerequisite for many quantum-technology applications. While theoretical studies of this problem have heretofore focused almost exclusively on simplified scenarios (one-dimensional systems, purely harmonic confining potentials, etc.), we investigate it here in the experimentally relevant setting of a moving optical lattice (optical conveyor belt). We model single-atom transport in this system by taking fully into account its three-dimensional, anharmonic confining potential. We do so using the established method of shortcuts to adiabaticity (STA), i.e., an inverse-engineering approach based on Lewis-Riesenfeld invariants, as well as its recently proposed modification known as enhanced STA (eSTA). By combining well-controlled, advanced analytical techniques and the numerical propagation of a time-dependent Schr\"odinger equation using the Fourier split operator method, we evaluate atom-transport fidelities within both approaches. Being obtained for realistic choices of system parameters, our results are relevant for future experiments with optical conveyor belts. Moreover, they reveal that in the system at hand the eSTA method outperforms its STA counterpart for all but the lowest optical-lattice depths.
Shortcuts to adiabaticity (STA) are a collection of quantum control techniques that achieve high fidelity outside of the adiabatic regime. Recently an extension to shortcuts to adiabaticity was proposed by the authors [Whitty, Kiely, and Ruschhaupt, Phys. Rev. Research 2, 023360 (2020)]. This method, enhanced shortcuts to adiabaticity (eSTA), provides an extension to the original STA control functions and allows effective control of systems not amenable to STA methods. It is conjectured that eSTA schemes also enjoy an improved stability over their STA counterparts. We provide numerical evidence of this claim by applying eSTA to fast atomic transport using an optical lattice and evaluating appropriate stability measures. We show that the eSTA schemes not only produce higher fidelities but also remain more stable against errors than the original STA schemes.
Fast and robust quantum control protocols are often based on an idealized approximate description of the relevant quantum system.While this may provide a performance that is close to optimal, improvements can be made by incorporating elements of the full system representation.We propose a technique for such scenarios, called enhanced shortcuts to adiabaticity (eSTA).The eSTA method works for previously intractable Hamiltonians by providing an analytical correction to existing STA protocols.This correction can be easily calculated, and the resulting protocols are outside the class of STA schemes.We demonstrate the effectiveness of the method for three distinct cases: manipulation of an internal atomic state beyond the rotating-wave approximation, transport of a neutral atom in an optical Gaussian trap, and transport of two trapped ions in an anharmonic trap.
Precise control of quantum particles is required for many interesting or novel experiments. Here we consider the task of transporting an atom using an external harmonic potential from one well of an optical lattice to another without motional excitations. To achieve this we apply techniques from Shortcuts to Adiabaticity (STA) enabling fast and robust state manipulation. The process is split up into three independent building blocks; first the atom is loaded into an additional external harmonic trap; this trap is then transported from one lattice site to another and finally the atom is unloaded back onto the lattice by opening the external harmonic trap. We design protocols for each of these building blocks separately using invariant-based inverse engineering. Additionally we extend this method to the transport of a Bose-Einstein condensate described by the Gross-Pitaevskii equation.
Movable single atoms have drawn significant attention for their potential as flying quantum memory in non-local, dynamic quantum computing architectures. However, when dynamic optical tweezers are employed to control atoms opto-mechanically, conventional methods such as adiabatic controls and constant jerk controls are either inherently slow or induce mechanical heating, leading to atom loss over long distances or at high speeds. To address these challenges, we explore the method known as shortcuts to adiabaticity (STA) as an efficient alternative for fast and reliable atom transport. We present a series of proof-of-concept experiments demonstrating that STA-based optical tweezer trajectories can achieve both rapid and reliable single-atom transport. These experiments include moving atoms between two locations, adjusting speeds en route, and navigating curved trajectories. Our results indicate that atoms can be transported with a constant acceleration on average over distances that is only limited by trap lifetime, while effectively suppressing vibrational heating. This makes STA methods particularly well-suited for long-distance atom transport, potentially spanning distances over centimeter scales, such as between quantum information devices.