Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

IEEE Conference on Decision and Control (CDC)

NMR Pulse Design using Moment Dynamical Systems

Xin Ning, André Luiz P. de Lima, Jr-Shin Li

Published Dec 6, 2022• 5 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We investigate pulse design problems arising in diverse applications in quantum science and technology. In modern approaches, pulse design is cast as an ensemble control problem involving the control of a continuum of nuclear spin systems, which, however, is typically challenging to solve. In this paper, we present a new pulse design paradigm by introducing moment representations of the spin ensemble system and transforming the ensemble control problem associated to pulse design to a moment control problem. We show that feasible and optimal pulses can be effectively designed using the moment system with performance guarantees across the entire ensemble. We also illustrate the versatility and robustness of our moment-based approach by designing uniform and selective pulses essential to enable prominent applications in magnetic resonance.

DOI
10.1109/cdc51059.2022.9992480

Related papers

Optimal Quantum Control Using Ensemble Quantization

Jr-Shin Li, Yuan-Hung Kuan, Wei Zhang

Abstract. The robust manipulation of ensembles of quantum systems exhibiting variations or uncertainties in the system parameters and dynamics has been a long-standing problem in the field of quantum control. Existing methods for addressing quantum ensemble control primarily rely on the use of state-space models that describe the time evolution of quantum states. In this paper, we introduce a distinctive quantum control paradigm by mapping the quantum ensemble control problem to a dual problem defined on a coordinate system established by a moment transform. This transformation introduces a new type of quantization in quantum systems, enabling tractable systems-theoretic analysis and effective optimal control design, which are typically opaque. Subsequently, we develop an iterative computational algorithm to solve the transformed optimal moment control problems. We conduct a convergence analysis for the proposed algorithm and demonstrate its applicability and effectiveness on various challenging pulse design problems in quantum control.

SIAM Journal on Control and Optimization•Jan 8, 2025•3 citations

Optimal control of spin systems

Steffen J. Glaser, Christiane P. Koch, Niels Chr. Nielsen +2 more

Quantum optimal control has become a central tool for designing high-performance pulse sequences in magnetic resonance and quantum technologies. Early developments in NMR relied on heuristic composite and shaped pulses or analytical approaches such as average Hamiltonian theory. The introduction of modern optimal control algorithms enabled the systematic optimization of thousands of control parameters, greatly expanding the achievable performance and scope of pulse engineering. This review summarizes key developments in optimal control of spin and pseudo-spin systems and highlights major applications in magnetic resonance, in quantum technologies, and in the control of atoms and molecules.

Science Advances•Sep 16, 2026•0 citations

A multidimensional pseudospectral method for optimal control of quantum ensembles

Justin Ruths, Jr-Shin Li

In our previous work, we have shown that the pseudospectral method is an effective and flexible computation scheme for deriving pulses for optimal control of quantum systems. In practice, however, quantum systems often exhibit variation in the parameters that characterize the system dynamics. This leads us to consider the control of an ensemble (or continuum) of quantum systems indexed by the system parameters that show variation. We cast the design of pulses as an optimal ensemble control problem and demonstrate a multidimensional pseudospectral method with several challenging examples of both closed and open quantum systems from nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy in liquid. We give particular attention to the ability to derive experimentally viable pulses of minimum energy or duration.

The Journal of Chemical Physics•Jan 28, 2011•40 citations

Optimal pulse design in quantum control: A unified computational method

Jr-Shin Li, Justin Ruths, Tsyr‐Yan Yu +2 more

Many key aspects of control of quantum systems involve manipulating a large quantum ensemble exhibiting variation in the value of parameters characterizing the system dynamics. Developing electromagnetic pulses to produce a desired evolution in the presence of such variation is a fundamental and challenging problem in this research area. We present such robust pulse designs as an optimal control problem of a continuum of bilinear systems with a common control function. We map this control problem of infinite dimension to a problem of polynomial approximation employing tools from geometric control theory. We then adopt this new notion and develop a unified computational method for optimal pulse design using ideas from pseudospectral approximations, by which a continuous-time optimal control problem of pulse design can be discretized to a constrained optimization problem with spectral accuracy. Furthermore, this is a highly flexible and efficient numerical method that requires low order of discretization and yields inherently smooth solutions. We demonstrate this method by designing effective broadband π/2 and π pulses with reduced rf energy and pulse duration, which show significant sensitivity enhancement at the edge of the spectrum over conventional pulses in 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy experiments.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences•Jan 18, 2011•131 citations

Time optimal control in spin systems

Navin Khaneja, Roger W. Brockett, Steffen J. Glaser

In this paper, we study the design of pulse sequences for nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy as a problem of time optimal control of the unitary propagator. Radio-frequency pulses are used in coherent spectroscopy to implement a unitary transfer between states. Pulse sequences that accomplish a desired transfer should be as short as possible in order to minimize the effects of relaxation and to optimize the sensitivity of the experiments. Here, we give an analytical characterization of such time optimal pulse sequences applicable to coherence transfer experiments in multiple-spin systems. We have adopted a general mathematical formulation, and present many of our results in this setting, mindful of the fact that new structures in optimal pulse design are constantly arising. From a general control theory perspective, the problems we want to study have the following character. Suppose we are given a controllable right invariant system on a compact Lie group. What is the minimum time required to steer the system from some initial point to a specified final point? In nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and quantum computing, this translates to, what is the minimum time required to produce a unitary propagator? We also give an analytical characterization of maximum achievable transfer in a given time for the two-spin system.

arXiv:quant-ph/0006114•Physical Review A•Feb 14, 2001•741 citations

Robust Population Transfer for Coupled Spin Ensembles

Wei Zhang, Vignesh Narayanan, Shin Li

Finely manipulating a large population of interacting nuclear spins is an extremely challenging problem arising in wide-ranging applications in quantum science and technology. Prominent examples include the design of robust excitation and inversion pulses for nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and imaging, coordination of spin networks for coherence transfer, and control of superposition and entanglement for quantum computation. In this paper, by integrating the technique of small angle approximation with non-harmonic Fourier analysis, we establish a systematic method to construct robust pulse sequences that neutralize the effect of coupling variations in a spin network. In addition, we explore an alternating optimization procedure for tailoring the constructed pulses to satisfy practical design criteria. We also provide numerical examples to demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed methodology.

IEEE Conference on Decision and Control (CDC)•Dec 1, 2019•0 citations
We investigate pulse design problems arising in diverse applications in quantum science and technology. In modern approaches, pulse design is cast as an ensemble control problem involving the control of a continuum of nuclear spin systems, which, however, is typically challenging to solve. In this paper, we present a new pulse design paradigm by introducing moment representations of the spin ensemble system and transforming the ensemble control problem associated to pulse design to a moment control problem. We show that feasible and optimal pulses can be effectively designed using the moment system with performance guarantees across the entire ensemble. We also illustrate the versatility and robustness of our moment-based approach by designing uniform and selective pulses essential to enable prominent applications in magnetic resonance.
Abstract. The robust manipulation of ensembles of quantum systems exhibiting variations or uncertainties in the system parameters and dynamics has been a long-standing problem in the field of quantum control. Existing methods for addressing quantum ensemble control primarily rely on the use of state-space models that describe the time evolution of quantum states. In this paper, we introduce a distinctive quantum control paradigm by mapping the quantum ensemble control problem to a dual problem defined on a coordinate system established by a moment transform. This transformation introduces a new type of quantization in quantum systems, enabling tractable systems-theoretic analysis and effective optimal control design, which are typically opaque. Subsequently, we develop an iterative computational algorithm to solve the transformed optimal moment control problems. We conduct a convergence analysis for the proposed algorithm and demonstrate its applicability and effectiveness on various challenging pulse design problems in quantum control.
Quantum optimal control has become a central tool for designing high-performance pulse sequences in magnetic resonance and quantum technologies. Early developments in NMR relied on heuristic composite and shaped pulses or analytical approaches such as average Hamiltonian theory. The introduction of modern optimal control algorithms enabled the systematic optimization of thousands of control parameters, greatly expanding the achievable performance and scope of pulse engineering. This review summarizes key developments in optimal control of spin and pseudo-spin systems and highlights major applications in magnetic resonance, in quantum technologies, and in the control of atoms and molecules.
In our previous work, we have shown that the pseudospectral method is an effective and flexible computation scheme for deriving pulses for optimal control of quantum systems. In practice, however, quantum systems often exhibit variation in the parameters that characterize the system dynamics. This leads us to consider the control of an ensemble (or continuum) of quantum systems indexed by the system parameters that show variation. We cast the design of pulses as an optimal ensemble control problem and demonstrate a multidimensional pseudospectral method with several challenging examples of both closed and open quantum systems from nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy in liquid. We give particular attention to the ability to derive experimentally viable pulses of minimum energy or duration.
Many key aspects of control of quantum systems involve manipulating a large quantum ensemble exhibiting variation in the value of parameters characterizing the system dynamics. Developing electromagnetic pulses to produce a desired evolution in the presence of such variation is a fundamental and challenging problem in this research area. We present such robust pulse designs as an optimal control problem of a continuum of bilinear systems with a common control function. We map this control problem of infinite dimension to a problem of polynomial approximation employing tools from geometric control theory. We then adopt this new notion and develop a unified computational method for optimal pulse design using ideas from pseudospectral approximations, by which a continuous-time optimal control problem of pulse design can be discretized to a constrained optimization problem with spectral accuracy. Furthermore, this is a highly flexible and efficient numerical method that requires low order of discretization and yields inherently smooth solutions. We demonstrate this method by designing effective broadband π/2 and π pulses with reduced rf energy and pulse duration, which show significant sensitivity enhancement at the edge of the spectrum over conventional pulses in 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy experiments.
In this paper, we study the design of pulse sequences for nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy as a problem of time optimal control of the unitary propagator. Radio-frequency pulses are used in coherent spectroscopy to implement a unitary transfer between states. Pulse sequences that accomplish a desired transfer should be as short as possible in order to minimize the effects of relaxation and to optimize the sensitivity of the experiments. Here, we give an analytical characterization of such time optimal pulse sequences applicable to coherence transfer experiments in multiple-spin systems. We have adopted a general mathematical formulation, and present many of our results in this setting, mindful of the fact that new structures in optimal pulse design are constantly arising. From a general control theory perspective, the problems we want to study have the following character. Suppose we are given a controllable right invariant system on a compact Lie group. What is the minimum time required to steer the system from some initial point to a specified final point? In nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and quantum computing, this translates to, what is the minimum time required to produce a unitary propagator? We also give an analytical characterization of maximum achievable transfer in a given time for the two-spin system.
Finely manipulating a large population of interacting nuclear spins is an extremely challenging problem arising in wide-ranging applications in quantum science and technology. Prominent examples include the design of robust excitation and inversion pulses for nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and imaging, coordination of spin networks for coherence transfer, and control of superposition and entanglement for quantum computation. In this paper, by integrating the technique of small angle approximation with non-harmonic Fourier analysis, we establish a systematic method to construct robust pulse sequences that neutralize the effect of coupling variations in a spin network. In addition, we explore an alternating optimization procedure for tailoring the constructed pulses to satisfy practical design criteria. We also provide numerical examples to demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed methodology.