Sequential decays of open quantum systems

J. Salo, J. Clausen, I. E. Mazets

Yuan-De Jin, Chu-Dan Qiu, Wen-Long Ma

Metastability in open system dynamics describes the phenomena of initial relaxation to long-lived metastable states before decaying to the asymptotic stable states. It has been found in continuous-time stochastic dynamics of both classical and quantum systems. However, many cases of open quantum system dynamics are intrinsically discrete, and the evolution within each discrete time interval is described by an arbitrary quantum channel, which often cannot be generated by continuous-time master equations. Here we develop a general theory of metastability in discrete-time open quantum dynamics, described by sequential repetitive quantum channels. We apply the general metastability theory to a typical class of quantum channels on a target system, induced by an ancilla qubit with a pure-dephasing coupling to the target system and under Ramsey sequences. Interesting metastable behaviors are predicted and numerically demonstrated by decomposing the average dynamics of sequential quantum channels into stochastic trajectories. We also present examples of applications in quantum state and dynamics engineering of a target quantum system with an ancilla qubit.

Charis Anastopoulos

Junxiang Zhang, Yuan-De Jin, Chu-Dan Qiu +2 more

Abstract Metastability is a ubiquitous phenomenon in non-equilibrium physics and classical stochastic dynamics. It arises when the system dynamics settles in long-lived states before eventually decaying to true equilibria. Remarkably, it has been predicted that quantum metastability can also occur in continuous-time and discrete-time open quantum dynamics. However, the direct experimental observation of metastability in open quantum systems has remained elusive. Here, we experimentally observe metastability in the discrete-time evolution of a single nuclear spin in diamond, realized by sequential Ramsey interferometry measurements of a nearby nitrogen-vacancy electron spin. We demonstrate that the metastable polarization of the nuclear spin emerges at around 60,000∼250,000 sequential measurements, enabling high-fidelity single-shot readout of the nuclear spin. Our results represent a concrete step towards uncovering non-equilibrium physics in open quantum dynamics, which is practically relevant for the utilization of metastable information for various quantum information processing tasks.

Frank-Michael Dittes

Stefano Gherardini, Andrea Smirne, Matthias M. Müller +1 more

Novel concepts, perspectives and challenges in measuring and controlling an open quantum system via sequential schemes are shown. We discuss how similar protocols, relying both on repeated quantum measurements and dynamical decoupling control pulses, can allow to: (i) Confine and protect quantum dynamics from decoherence in accordance with the Zeno physics. (ii) Analytically predict the probability that a quantum system is transferred into a target quantum state by means of stochastic sequential measurements. (iii) Optimally reconstruct the spectral density of environmental noise sources by orthogonalizing in the frequency domain the filter functions driving the designed quantum-sensor. The achievement of these tasks will enhance our capability to observe and manipulate open quantum systems, thus bringing advances to quantum science and technologies.