Approximate stabilization of an infinite dimensional quantum stochastic system

We propose a feedback scheme for preparation of photon number states in a microwave cavity. Quantum Non-Demolition (QND) measurements of the cavity field and a control signal consisting of a microwave pulse injected into the cavity are used to drive the system towards a desired target photon number state. Unlike previous work, we do not use the Galerkin approximation of truncating the infinite-dimensional system Hilbert space into a finite-dimensional subspace. We use an (unbounded) strict Lyapunov function and prove that a feedback scheme that minimizes the expectation value of the Lyapunov function at each time step stabilizes the system at the desired photon number state with (a pre-specified) arbitrarily high probability. Simulations of this scheme demonstrate that we improve the performance of the controller by reducing "leakage" to high photon numbers.Comment: Submitted to CDC 201

Explicit approximate controllability of the Schr\"odinger equation with a polarizability term

We consider a controlled Schr\"odinger equation with a dipolar and a polarizability term, used when the dipolar approximation is not valid. The control is the amplitude of the external electric field, it acts non linearly on the state. We extend in this infinite dimensional framework previous techniques used by Coron, Grigoriu, Lefter and Turinici for stabilization in finite dimension. We consider a highly oscillating control and prove the semi-global weak $H^2$ stabilization of the averaged system using a Lyapunov function introduced by Nersesyan. Then it is proved that the solutions of the Schr\"odinger equation and of the averaged equation stay close on every finite time horizon provided that the control is oscillating enough. Combining these two results, we get approximate controllability to the ground state for the polarizability system

Quantum walks in higher dimensions

We analyze the quantum walk in higher spatial dimensions and compare classical and quantum spreading as a function of time. Tensor products of Hadamard transformations and the discrete Fourier transform arise as natural extensions of the quantum coin toss in the one-dimensional walk simulation, and other illustrative transformations are also investigated. We find that entanglement between the dimensions serves to reduce the rate of spread of the quantum walk. The classical limit is obtained by introducing a random phase variable.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figures, published versio

Nonlocally-induced (quasirelativistic) bound states: Harmonic confinement and the finite well

Nonlocal Hamiltonian-type operators, like e.g. fractional and quasirelativistic, seem to be instrumental for a conceptual broadening of current quantum paradigms. However physically relevant properties of related quantum systems have not yet received due (and scientifically undisputable) coverage in the literature. In the present paper we address Schr\"{o}dinger-type eigenvalue problems for $H=T+V$, where a kinetic term $T=T_m$ is a quasirelativistic energy operator $T_m = \sqrt{-\hbar ^2c^2 \Delta + m^2c^4} - mc^2$ of mass $m\in (0,\infty)$ particle. A potential $V$ we assume to refer to the harmonic confinement or finite well of an arbitrary depth. We analyze spectral solutions of the pertinent nonlocal quantum systems with a focus on their $m$-dependence. Extremal mass $m$ regimes for eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of $H$ are investigated: (i) $m\ll 1$ spectral affinity ("closeness") with the Cauchy-eigenvalue problem ($T_m \sim T_0=\hbar c |\nabla |$) and (ii) $m \gg 1$ spectral affinity with the nonrelativistic eigenvalue problem ($T_m \sim -\hbar ^2 \Delta /2m$). To this end we generalize to nonlocal operators an efficient computer-assisted method to solve Schr\"{o}dinger eigenvalue problems, widely used in quantum physics and quantum chemistry. A resultant spectrum-generating algorithm allows to carry out all computations directly in the configuration space of the nonlocal quantum system. This allows for a proper assessment of the spatial nonlocality impact on simulation outcomes. Although the nonlocality of $H$ might seem to stay in conflict with various numerics-enforced cutoffs, this potentially serious obstacle is kept under control and effectively tamed.Comment: 23 pages, 16 figure

Amplification of non-Markovian decay due to bound state absorption into continuum

It is known that quantum systems yield non-exponential (power law) decay on long time scales, associated with continuum threshold effects contributing to the survival probability for a prepared initial state. For an open quantum system consisting of a discrete state coupled to continuum, we study the case in which a discrete bound state of the full Hamiltonian approaches the energy continuum as the system parameters are varied. We find in this case that at least two regions exist yielding qualitatively different power law decay behaviors; we term these the long time `near zone' and long time `far zone.' In the near zone the survival probability falls off according to a $t^{-1}$ power law, and in the far zone it falls off as $t^{-3}$. We show that the timescale $T_Q$ separating these two regions is inversely related to the gap between the discrete bound state energy and the continuum threshold. In the case that the bound state is absorbed into the continuum and vanishes, then the time scale $T_Q$ diverges and the survival probability follows the $t^{-1}$ power law even on asymptotic scales. Conversely, one could study the case of an anti-bound state approaching the threshold before being ejected from the continuum to form a bound state. Again the $t^{-1}$ power law dominates precisely at the point of ejection.Comment: 15 pages, 9 figure

Time-dependent stabilization in AdS/CFT

We consider theories with time-dependent Hamiltonians which alternate between being bounded and unbounded from below. For appropriate frequencies dynamical stabilization can occur rendering the effective potential of the system stable. We first study a free field theory on a torus with a time-dependent mass term, finding that the stability regions are described in terms of the phase diagram of the Mathieu equation. Using number theory we have found a compactification scheme such as to avoid resonances for all momentum modes in the theory. We further consider the gravity dual of a conformal field theory on a sphere in three spacetime dimensions, deformed by a doubletrace operator. The gravity dual of the theory with a constant unbounded potential develops big crunch singularities; we study when such singularities can be cured by dynamical stabilization. We numerically solve the Einstein-scalar equations of motion in the case of a time-dependent doubletrace deformation and find that for sufficiently high frequencies the theory is dynamically stabilized and big crunches get screened by black hole horizons.Comment: LaTeX, 38 pages, 13 figures. V2: appendix C added, references added and typos correcte

Periodic excitations of bilinear quantum systems

A well-known method of transferring the population of a quantum system from an eigenspace of the free Hamiltonian to another is to use a periodic control law with an angular frequency equal to the difference of the eigenvalues. For finite dimensional quantum systems, the classical theory of averaging provides a rigorous explanation of this experimentally validated result. This paper extends this finite dimensional result, known as the Rotating Wave Approximation, to infinite dimensional systems and provides explicit convergence estimates.Comment: Available online http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S000510981200286

Simultaneous local exact controllability of 1D bilinear Schr\"odinger equations

We consider N independent quantum particles, in an infinite square potential well coupled to an external laser field. These particles are modelled by a system of linear Schr\"odinger equations on a bounded interval. This is a bilinear control system in which the state is the N-tuple of wave functions. The control is the real amplitude of the laser field. For N=1, Beauchard and Laurent proved local exact controllability around the ground state in arbitrary time. We prove, under an extra generic assumption, that their result does not hold in small time if N is greater or equal than 2. Still, for N=2, we prove using Coron's return method that local controllability holds either in arbitrary time up to a global phase or exactly up to a global delay. We also prove that for N greater or equal than 3, local controllability does not hold in small time even up to a global phase. Finally, for N=3, we prove that local controllability holds up to a global phase and a global delay