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Journal of Physics Conference Series

Quantum driving of a two level system: quantum speed limit and superadiabatic protocols – an experimental investigation

Nicola Malossi, Mark G. Bason, Matthieu Viteau, E. Arimondo, Donatella Ciampini, R. Mannella, O. Morsch

Published Jun 10, 2013• 5 citations

Abstract

A fundamental requirement in quantum information processing and in many other areas of science is the capability of precisely controlling a quantum system by preparing a quantum state with the highest fidelity and/or in the fastest possible way. Here we present an experimental investigation of a two level system, characterized by a time-dependent Landau-Zener Hamiltonian, aiming to test general and optimal high-fidelity control protocols. The experiment is based on a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) loaded into an optical lattice, then accelerated, which provides a high degree of control over the experimental parameters. We implement generalized Landau-Zener sweeps, comparing them with the well-known linear Landau-Zener sweep. We drive the system from an initial state to a final state with fidelity close to unity in the shortest possible time (quantum brachistochrone), thus reaching the ultimate speed limit imposed by quantum mechanics. On the opposite extreme of the quantum control spectrum, the aim is not to minimize the total transition time but to maximize the adiabaticity during the time-evolution, the system being constrained to the adiabatic ground state at any time. We implement such transitionless superadiabatic protocols by an appropriate transformation of the Hamiltonian parameters. This transformation is general and independent of the physical system.

DOI: 10.1088/1742-6596/442/1/012062

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We present experimental results on the preparation of a desired quantum state in a two-level system with the maximum possible fidelity using driving protocols ranging from generalizations of the linear Landau-Zener protocol to transitionless driving protocols that ensure perfect following of the instantaneous adiabatic ground state. We also study the minimum time needed to achieve a target fidelity and explore and compare the robustness of some of the protocols against parameter variations simulating a possible experimental uncertainty. In our experiments, we realize a two-level model system using Bose-Einstein condensates inside optical lattices, but the results of our investigation should hold for any quantum system that can be approximated by a two-level system.

Quantum mechanics establishes a fundamental bound for the minimum evolution time between two states of a given system. Known as the quantum speed limit (QSL), it is a useful tool in the context of quantum control, where the speed of some control protocol is usually intended to be as large as possible. While QSL expressions for time-independent Hamiltonians have been well studied, the time-dependent regime has remained somewhat unexplored, albeit being usually the relevant problem to be compared with when studying systems controlled by external fields. In this paper we explore the relation between optimal times found in quantum control and the QSL bound, in the (relevant) time-dependent regime, by discussing the ubiquitous two-level Landau-Zener–type Hamiltonian.

Quantum mechanics establishes a fundamental bound for the minimum evolution time between two states of a given system. Known as the quantum speed limit (QSL), it is a useful tool in the context of quantum control, where the speed of some control protocol is usually intended to be as large as possible. While QSL expressions for time-independent Hamiltonians have been well studied, the time-dependent regime has remained somewhat unexplored, albeit being usually the relevant problem to be compared with when studying systems controlled by external fields. In this paper we explore the relation between optimal times found in quantum control and the QSL bound, in the (relevant) time-dependent regime, by discussing the ubiquitous two-level Landau-Zener-type Hamiltonian.

A remarkably simple result is derived for the minimal time Tmin required to drive a general initial state to a final target state by a Landau-Zener-type Hamiltonian or, equivalently, by time-dependent laser driving. The associated protocol is also derived. A surprise arises for some states when the interaction strength is bounded by a constant c. Then, for large c, the optimal driving is of type bang-off-bang and for increasing c one recovers the unconstrained result. However, for smaller c the optimal driving can suddenly switch to bang-bang type. We discuss the notion of quantum speed limit time.