Quantum Computation and Spin Electronics

In this chapter we explore the connection between mesoscopic physics and quantum computing. After giving a bibliography providing a general introduction to the subject of quantum information processing, we review the various approaches that are being considered for the experimental implementation of quantum computing and quantum communication in atomic physics, quantum optics, nuclear magnetic resonance, superconductivity, and, especially, normal-electron solid state physics. We discuss five criteria for the realization of a quantum computer and consider the implications that these criteria have for quantum computation using the spin states of single-electron quantum dots. Finally, we consider the transport of quantum information via the motion of individual electrons in mesoscopic structures; specific transport and noise measurements in coupled quantum dot geometries for detecting and characterizing electron-state entanglement are analyzed.Comment: 28 pages RevTeX, 4 figures. To be published in "Quantum Mesoscopic Phenomena and Mesoscopic Devices in Microelectronics," eds. I. O. Kulik and R. Ellialtioglu (NATO Advanced Study Institute, Turkey, June 13-25, 1999

Entanglement of Assistance is not a bipartite measure nor a tripartite monotone

The entanglement of assistance quantifies the entanglement that can be generated between two parties, Alice and Bob, given assistance from a third party, Charlie, when the three share a tripartite state and where the assistance consists of Charlie initially performing a measurement on his share and communicating the result to Alice and Bob through a one-way classical channel. We argue that if this quantity is to be considered an operational measure of entanglement, then it must be understood to be a tripartite rather than a bipartite measure. We compare it with a distinct tripartite measure that quantifies the entanglement that can be generated between Alice and Bob when they are allowed to make use of a two-way classical channel with Charlie. We show that the latter quantity, which we call the entanglement of collaboration, can be greater than the entanglement of assistance. This demonstrates that the entanglement of assistance (considered as a tripartite measure of entanglement), and its multipartite generalizations such as the localizable entanglement, are not entanglement monotones, thereby undermining their operational significance.Comment: 5 pages, revised, title changed, added a discussion explaining why entanglement of assistance can not be considered as a bipartite measure, to appear in Phys. Rev.

Quantum Speed Limit for Perfect State Transfer in One Dimension

The basic idea of spin chain engineering for perfect quantum state transfer (QST) is to find a set of coupling constants in the Hamiltonian, such that a particular state initially encoded on one site will evolve freely to the opposite site without any dynamical controls. The minimal possible evolution time represents a speed limit for QST. We prove that the optimal solution is the one simulating the precession of a spin in a static magnetic field. We also argue that, at least for solid-state systems where interactions are local, it is more realistic to characterize the computation power by the couplings than the initial energy.Comment: 5 pages, no figure; improved versio

Quantum logic gates using Stark shifted Raman transitions in a cavity

We present a scheme to realise the basic two-quibit logic gates such as quantum phase gate and controlle-NOT gate using a detuned optical cavity interacting with a three-level Raman system. We discuss the role of Stark shifts which are as important as the terms leading to two-photon transition. The operation of the proposed logic gates involves metastable states of the atom and hence is not affected by spontaneous emission. These ideas can be extended to produce multiparticle entanglement.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figure, RevTeX4, Text is modifie

Physical Optimization of Quantum Error Correction Circuits

Quantum error correcting codes have been developed to protect a quantum computer from decoherence due to a noisy environment. In this paper, we present two methods for optimizing the physical implementation of such error correction schemes. First, we discuss an optimal quantum circuit implementation of the smallest error-correcting code (the three bit code). Quantum circuits are physically implemented by serial pulses, i.e. by switching on and off external parameters in the Hamiltonian one after another. In contrast to this, we introduce a new parallel switching method that allows faster gate operation by switching all external parameters simultaneously. These two methods are applied to electron spins in coupled quantum dots subject to a Heisenberg coupling H=J(t) S_1*S_2 which can generate the universal quantum gate `square-root-of-swap'. Using parallel pulses, the encoding for three-bit quantum error correction in a Heisenberg system can be accelerated by a factor of about two. We point out that parallel switching has potential applications for arbitrary quantum computer architectures.Comment: 13 pages, 6 figure

Spin-Orbit Coupling and Time-Reversal Symmetry in Quantum Gates

We study the effect of spin-orbit coupling on quantum gates produced by pulsing the exchange interaction between two single electron quantum dots. Spin-orbit coupling enters as a small spin precession when electrons tunnel between dots. For adiabatic pulses the resulting gate is described by a unitary operator acting on the four-dimensional Hilbert space of two qubits. If the precession axis is fixed, time-symmetric pulsing constrains the set of possible gates to those which, when combined with single qubit rotations, can be used in a simple CNOT construction. Deviations from time-symmetric pulsing spoil this construction. The effect of time asymmetry is studied by numerically integrating the Schr\"odinger equation using parameters appropriate for GaAs quantum dots. Deviations of the implemented gate from the desired form are shown to be proportional to dimensionless measures of both spin-orbit coupling and time asymmetry of the pulse.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figure

Deterministic Entanglement of Assistance and Monogamy Constraints

Certain quantum information tasks require entanglement of assistance, namely a reduction of a tripartite entangled state to a bipartite entangled state via local measurements. We establish that 'concurrence of assistance' (CoA) identifies capabilities and limitations to producing pure bipartite entangled states from pure tripartite entangled states and prove that CoA is an entanglement monotone for $(2\times2\times n)$-dimensional pure states. Moreover, if the CoA for the pure tripartite state is at least as large as the concurrence of the desired pure bipartite state, then the former may be transformed to the latter via local operations and classical communication, and we calculate the maximum probability for this transformation when this condition is not met.Comment: 5 pages, no figure

Simple Realization Of The Fredkin Gate Using A Series Of Two-body Operators

The Fredkin three-bit gate is universal for computational logic, and is reversible. Classically, it is impossible to do universal computation using reversible two-bit gates only. Here we construct the Fredkin gate using a combination of six two-body reversible (quantum) operators.Comment: Revtex 3.0, 7 pages, 3 figures appended at the end, please refer to the comment lines at the beginning of the manuscript for reasons of replacemen

High Kinetic Inductance Superconducting Nanowire Resonators for Circuit QED in a Magnetic Field

We present superconducting microwave-frequency resonators based on NbTiN nanowires. The small cross section of the nanowires minimizes vortex generation, making the resonators resilient to magnetic fields. Measured intrinsic quality factors exceed $2\times 10^5$ in a $6$ T in-plane magnetic field, and $3\times 10^4$ in a $350$ mT perpendicular magnetic field. Due to their high characteristic impedance, these resonators are expected to develop zero-point voltage fluctuations one order of magnitude larger than in standard coplanar waveguide resonators. These properties make the nanowire resonators well suited for circuit QED experiments needing strong coupling to quantum systems with small electric dipole moments and requiring a magnetic field, such as electrons in single and double quantum dots

Realization of Topological Quantum Computation with surface codes

In this paper, the degenerate ground states of Z2 topological order on a plane with holes (the so-called surface codes) are used as the protected code subspace to build a topological quantum computer by tuning their quantum tunneling effect. Using a designer Hamiltonian - the Kitaev toric-code model as an example, we study quantum tunneling effects of the surface codes and obtain its effective theory. Finally, we show how to do topological quantum computation including the initialization, the unitary transformation and the measurement