Overlapping resonances in the control of intramolecular vibrational redistribution

Coherent control of bound state processes via the interfering overlapping resonances scenario [Christopher et al., J. Chem. Phys. 123, 064313 (2006)] is developed to control intramolecular vibrational redistribution (IVR). The approach is applied to the flow of population between bonds in a model of chaotic OCS vibrational dynamics, showing the ability to significantly alter the extent and rate of IVR by varying quantum interference contributions.Comment: 10 pages, 7 figure

Quantum Alternation: Prospects and Problems

We propose a notion of quantum control in a quantum programming language which permits the superposition of finitely many quantum operations without performing a measurement. This notion takes the form of a conditional construct similar to the IF statement in classical programming languages. We show that adding such a quantum IF statement to the QPL programming language simplifies the presentation of several quantum algorithms. This motivates the possibility of extending the denotational semantics of QPL to include this form of quantum alternation. We give a denotational semantics for this extension of QPL based on Kraus decompositions rather than on superoperators. Finally, we clarify the relation between quantum alternation and recursion, and discuss the possibility of lifting the semantics defined by Kraus operators to the superoperator semantics defined by Selinger.Comment: In Proceedings QPL 2015, arXiv:1511.0118

Alternation in Quantum Programming: From Superposition of Data to Superposition of Programs

We extract a novel quantum programming paradigm - superposition of programs - from the design idea of a popular class of quantum algorithms, namely quantum walk-based algorithms. The generality of this paradigm is guaranteed by the universality of quantum walks as a computational model. A new quantum programming language QGCL is then proposed to support the paradigm of superposition of programs. This language can be seen as a quantum extension of Dijkstra's GCL (Guarded Command Language). Surprisingly, alternation in GCL splits into two different notions in the quantum setting: classical alternation (of quantum programs) and quantum alternation, with the latter being introduced in QGCL for the first time. Quantum alternation is the key program construct for realizing the paradigm of superposition of programs. The denotational semantics of QGCL are defined by introducing a new mathematical tool called the guarded composition of operator-valued functions. Then the weakest precondition semantics of QGCL can straightforwardly derived. Another very useful program construct in realizing the quantum programming paradigm of superposition of programs, called quantum choice, can be easily defined in terms of quantum alternation. The relation between quantum choices and probabilistic choices is clarified through defining the notion of local variables. We derive a family of algebraic laws for QGCL programs that can be used in program verification, transformations and compilation. The expressive power of QGCL is illustrated by several examples where various variants and generalizations of quantum walks are conveniently expressed using quantum alternation and quantum choice. We believe that quantum programming with quantum alternation and choice will play an important role in further exploiting the power of quantum computing.Comment: arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1209.437

A Graphic Representation of States for Quantum Copying Machines

The aim of this paper is to introduce a new graphic representation of quantum states by means of a specific application: the analysis of two models of quantum copying machines. The graphic representation by diagrams of states offers a clear and detailed visualization of quantum information's flow during the unitary evolution of not too complex systems. The diagrams of states are exponentially more complex in respect to the standard representation and this clearly illustrates the discrepancy of computational power between quantum and classical systems. After a brief introductive exposure of the general theory, we present a constructive procedure to illustrate the new representation by means of concrete examples. Elementary diagrams of states for single-qubit and two-qubit systems and a simple scheme to represent entangled states are presented. Quantum copying machines as imperfect cloners of quantum states are introduced and the quantum copying machines of Griffiths and Niu and of Buzek and Hillery are analyzed, determining quantum circuits of easier interpretation. The method has indeed shown itself to be extremely successful for the representation of the involved quantum operations and it has allowed to point out the characteristic aspects of the quantum computations examined.Comment: 30 pages, 22 figure