Perfect state transfer in quantum spin networks

We propose a class of qubit networks that admit perfect transfer of any quantum state in a fixed period of time. Unlike many other schemes for quantum computation and communication, these networks do not require qubit couplings to be switched on and off. When restricted to N-qubit spin networks of identical qubit couplings, we show that 2 log_3 N is the maximal perfect communication distance for hypercube geometries. Moreover, if one allows fixed but different couplings between the qubits then perfect state transfer can be achieved over arbitrarily long distances in a linear chain.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figur

Geometric phases induced in auxiliary qubits by many-body systems near its critical points

The geometric phase induced in an auxiliary qubit by a many-body system is calculated and discussed. Two kinds of coupling between the auxiliary qubit and the many-body system are considered, which lead to dephasing and dissipation in the qubit, respectively. As an example, we consider the XY spin-chain dephasingly couple to a qubit, the geometric phase induced in the qubit is presented and discussed. The results show that the geometric phase might be used to signal the critical points of the many-body system, and it tends to zero with the parameters of the many-body system going away from the critical points

Adiabatic geometric phases in hydrogenlike atoms

We examine the effect of spin-orbit coupling on geometric phases in hydrogenlike atoms exposed to a slowly varying magnetic field. The marginal geometric phases associated with the orbital angular momentum and the intrinsic spin fulfill a sum rule that explicitly relates them to the corresponding geometric phase of the whole system. The marginal geometric phases in the Zeeman and Paschen-Back limit are analyzed. We point out the existence of nodal points in the marginal phases that may be detected by topological means.Comment: Clarifying material added, one figure removed, journal reference adde

Staying adiabatic with unknown energy gap

We introduce an algorithm to perform an optimal adiabatic evolution that operates without an apriori knowledge of the system spectrum. By probing the system gap locally, the algorithm maximizes the evolution speed, thus minimizing the total evolution time. We test the algorithm on the Landau-Zener transition and then apply it on the quantum adiabatic computation of 3-SAT: The result is compatible with an exponential speed-up for up to twenty qubits with respect to classical algorithms. We finally study a possible algorithm improvement by combining it with the quantum Zeno effect.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Quantal interferometry with dissipative internal motion

In presence of dissipation, quantal states may acquire complex-valued phase effects. We suggest a notion of dissipative interferometry that accommodates this complex-valued structure and that may serve as a tool for analyzing the effect of certain kinds of external influences on quantal interference. The concept of mixed-state phase and concomitant gauge invariance is extended to dissipative internal motion. The resulting complex-valued mixed-state interference effects lead to well-known results in the unitary limit and in the case of dissipative motion of pure quantal states. Dissipative interferometry is applied to fault-tolerant geometric quantum computation.Comment: Slight revision, journal reference adde

Classical Concepts in Quantum Programming

The rapid progress of computer technology has been accompanied by a corresponding evolution of software development, from hardwired components and binary machine code to high level programming languages, which allowed to master the increasing hardware complexity and fully exploit its potential. This paper investigates, how classical concepts like hardware abstraction, hierarchical programs, data types, memory management, flow of control and structured programming can be used in quantum computing. The experimental language QCL will be introduced as an example, how elements like irreversible functions, local variables and conditional branching, which have no direct quantum counterparts, can be implemented, and how non-classical features like the reversibility of unitary transformation or the non-observability of quantum states can be accounted for within the framework of a procedural programming language.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures, software available from http://tph.tuwien.ac.at/~oemer/qcl.html, submitted for QS2002 proceeding

Visualizing quantum entanglement and the EPR paradox during the photodissociation of a diatomic molecule using two ultrashort laser pulses

We investigate theoretically the dissociative ionization of a H2+ molecule using two ultrashort laser (pump-probe) pulses. The pump pulse prepares a dissociating nuclear wave packet on an ungerade surface of H2+. Next, an UV (or XUV) probe pulse ionizes this dissociating state at large (R = 20 - 100 bohr) internuclear distance. We calculate the momenta distributions of protons and photoelectrons which show a (two-slit-like) interference structure. A general, simple interference formula is obtained which depends on the electron and protons momenta, as well as on the pump-probe delay on the pulses durations and polarizations. This interference can be interpreted as visualization of an electron state delocalized over the two-centres. This state is an entangled state of a hydrogen atom with a momentum p and a proton with an opposite momentum. -p dissociating on the ungerade surface of H2+. This pump-probe scheme can be used to reveal the nonlocality of the electron which intuitively should be localized on just one of the protons separated by the distance R much larger than the atomic Bohr orbit

Optimal purification of single qubits

We introduce a new decomposition of the multiqubit states of the form $\rho^{\otimes N}$ and employ it to construct the optimal single qubit purification procedure. The same decomposition allows us to study optimal quantum cloning and state estimation of mixed states.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figur

Geometric phase in dephasing systems

Beyond the quantum Markov approximation, we calculate the geometric phase of a two-level system driven by a quantized magnetic field subject to phase dephasing. The phase reduces to the standard geometric phase in the weak coupling limit and it involves the phase information of the environment in general. In contrast with the geometric phase in dissipative systems, the geometric phase acquired by the system can be observed on a long time scale. We also show that with the system decohering to its pointer states, the geometric phase factor tends to a sum over the phase factors pertaining to the pointer states.Comment: 4 page

Schmidt Analysis of Pure-State Entanglement

We examine the application of Schmidt-mode analysis to pure state entanglement. Several examples permitting exact analytic calculation of Schmidt eigenvalues and eigenfunctions are included, as well as evaluation of the associated degree of entanglement.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, for C.M. Bowden memoria