Quantum Control of Finite-time Disentanglement in Qubit-Qubit and Qubit-Qutrit Systems

Abstract

This thesis is a theoretical study of entanglement dynamics and its control of qubit-qubit and qubit-qutrit systems. In particular, we focus on the decay of entanglement of quantum states interacting with dissipative environments. Qubit-qubit entanglement may vanish suddenly while interacting with statistically independent vacuum reservoirs. Such finite-time disentanglement is called sudden death of entanglement(ESD). We investigate entanglement sudden death of qubit-qubit and qubit-qutrit systems interacting with statistically independent reservoirs at zero- and finite-temperature. It is shown that for zero-temperature reservoirs, some entangled states exhibit sudden death while others lose their entanglement only after infinite time. Thus, there are two possible routes of entanglement decay, namely sudden death and asymptotic decay. We demonstrate that starting with an initial condition which leads to finite-time disentanglement, we can alter the future course of entanglement by local unitary actions. In other words, it is possible to put the quantum states on other track of decay once they are on a particular route of decay. We show that one can accelerate or delay sudden death. However, there is a critical time such that if local actions are taken before that critical time then sudden death can be delayed to infinity. Any local unitary action taken after that critical time can only accelerate or delay sudden death. In finite-temparature reservoirs, we demonstrate that a whole class of entangled states exhibit sudden death. This conclusion is valid if at least one of the reservoirs is at finite-temperature. However, we show that we can still hasten or delay sudden death by local unitary transformations up to some finite time. We also study sudden death for qubit-qutrit systems. Similar to qubit-qubit systems, some states exhibit sudden death while others do not. However, the process of disentanglement can be effected due to existence of quantum interference between excited levels of qutrit. We show that it is possible to hasten, delay, or avoid sudden death by local unitary actions taken later in time.