Local-entire cyclic cocycles for graded quantum field nets

In a recent paper we studied general properties of super-KMS functionals on graded quantum dynamical systems coming from graded translation-covariant quantum field nets over R, and we carried out a detailed analysis of these objects on certain models of superconformal nets. In the present article we show that these locally bounded functionals give rise to local-entire cyclic cocycles (generalized JLO cocycles), which are homotopy-invariant for a suitable class of perturbations. Thus we can associate meaningful noncommutative geometric invariants to those graded quantum dynamical systems.Comment: 21 pages. Built on a section that has been removed from the old preprint 1204.5078v2 when passing to 1204.5078v3. arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1204.5078v2. v2: Citations and outlook remark added, few typographical and stylistic corrections. v3: minor correction, final published versio

Conformal nets and KK-theory

Given a completely rational conformal net A on the circle, its fusion ring acts faithfully on the K_0-group of a certain universal C*-algebra associated to A, as shown in a previous paper. We prove here that this action can actually be identified with a Kasparov product, thus paving the way for a fruitful interplay between conformal field theory and KK-theory

N=2 superconformal nets

We provide an Operator Algebraic approach to N=2 chiral Conformal Field Theory and set up the Noncommutative Geometric framework. Compared to the N=1 case, the structure here is much richer. There are naturally associated nets of spectral triples and the JLO cocycles separate the Ramond sectors. We construct the N=2 superconformal nets of von Neumann algebras in general, classify them in the discrete series c<3, and we define and study an operator algebraic version of the N=2 spectral flow. We prove the coset identification for the N=2 super-Virasoro nets with c<3, a key result whose equivalent in the vertex algebra context has seemingly not been completely proved so far. Finally, the chiral ring is discussed in terms of net representations.Comment: 42 pages. Final version to be published in Communications in Mathematical Physic

Control of quantum noise: on the role of dilations

We show that every finite-dimensional quantum system with Markovian time evolution has an autonomous unitary dilation which can be dynamically decoupled. Since there is also always an autonomous unitary dilation which cannot be dynamically decoupled, this highlights the role of dilations in the control of quantum noise. We construct our dilation via a time-dependent version of Stinespring in combination with Howland's clock Hamiltonian and certain point-localised states, which may be regarded as a C*-algebraic analogue of improper bra-ket position eigenstates and which are hence of independent mathematical and physical interest.Comment: 17

A continuous-time diffusion limit theorem for dynamical decoupling and intrinsic decoherence

We discuss a few mathematical aspects of random dynamical decoupling, a key tool procedure in quantum information theory. In particular, we place it in the context of discrete stochastic processes, limit theorems and CPT semigroups on matrix algebras. We obtain precise analytical expressions for expectation and variance of the density matrix and fidelity over time in the continuum-time limit depending on the system Lindbladian, which then lead to rough short-time estimates depending only on certain coupling strengths. We prove that dynamical decoupling does not work in the case of intrinsic (i.e., not environment-induced) decoherence, and together with the above-mentioned estimates this yields a novel method of partially identifying intrinsic decoherence.Comment: 24 pages. Final published versio

Dynamic decoupling and homogenization of continuous variable systems

For finite-dimensional quantum systems, such as qubits, a well established strategy to protect such systems from decoherence is dynamical decoupling. However many promising quantum devices, such as oscillators, are infinite dimensional, for which the question if dynamical decoupling could be applied remained open. Here we first show that not every infinite-dimensional system can be protected from decoherence through dynamical decoupling. Then we develop dynamical decoupling for continuous variable systems which are described by quadratic Hamiltonians. We identify a condition and a set of operations that allow us to map a set of interacting harmonic oscillators onto a set of non-interacting oscillators rotating with an averaged frequency, a procedure we call homogenization. Furthermore we show that every quadratic system-environment interaction can be suppressed with two simple operations acting only on the system. Using a random dynamical decoupling or homogenization scheme, we develop bounds that characterize how fast we have to work in order to achieve the desired uncoupled dynamics. This allows us to identify how well homogenization can be achieved and decoherence can be suppressed in continuous variable systems.Comment: 14 page

Distinguishing decoherence from alternative quantum theories by dynamical decoupling

A longstanding challenge in the foundations of quantum mechanics is the verification of alternative collapse theories despite their mathematical similarity to decoherence. To this end, we suggest a novel method based on dynamical decoupling. Experimental observation of nonzero saturation of the decoupling error in the limit of fast decoupling operations can provide evidence for alternative quantum theories. As part of the analysis we prove that unbounded Hamiltonians can always be decoupled, and provide novel dilations of Lindbladians.Comment: 8 pages. Final published versio

Loop groups and noncommutative geometry

We describe the representation theory of loop groups in terms of K-theory and noncommutative geometry. This is done by constructing suitable spectral triples associated with the level ℓℓ projective unitary positive-energy representations of any given loop group LGLG. The construction is based on certain supersymmetric conformal field theory models associated with LGLG in the setting of conformal nets. We then generalize the construction to many other rational chiral conformal field theory models including coset models and the moonshine conformal net