Shortcuts to adiabatic rotation of a two-ion chain

We inverse engineer fast rotations of a linear trap with two ions for a predetermined rotation angle and time, avoiding final excitation. Different approaches are analyzed and compared when the ions are of the same species or of different species. The separability into dynamical normal modes for equal ions in a common harmonic trap, or for different ions in non-harmonic traps with up to quartic terms allows for simpler computations of the rotation protocols. For non-separable scenarios, in particular for different ions in a harmonic trap, rotation protocols are also found using more costly numerical optimisations.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figure

Shortcut-to-adiabaticity-like techniques for parameter estimation in quantum metrology

Quantum metrology makes use of quantum mechanics to improve precision measurements and measurement sensitivities. It is usually formulated for time-independent Hamiltonians but time-dependent Hamiltonians may offer advantages, such as a $T^4$ time dependence of the Fisher information which cannot be reached with a time-independent Hamiltonian. In Optimal adaptive control for quantum metrology with time-dependent Hamiltonians (Nature Communications 8, 2017), Shengshi Pang and Andrew N. Jordan put forward a Shortcut-to-adiabaticity (STA)-like method, specifically an approach formally similar to the "counterdiabatic approach", adding a control term to the original Hamiltonian to reach the upper bound of the Fisher information. We revisit this work from the point of view of STA to set the relations and differences between STA-like methods in metrology and ordinary STA. This analysis paves the way for the application of other STA-like techniques in parameter estimation. In particular we explore the use of physical unitary transformations to propose alternative time-dependent Hamiltonians which may be easier to implement in the laboratory.Comment: 10 page

Symmetries and Invariants for Non-Hermitian Hamiltonians

We discuss Hamiltonian symmetries and invariants for quantum systems driven by non-Hermitian Hamiltonians. For time-independent Hermitian Hamiltonians, a unitary or antiunitary transformation AHA that leaves the Hamiltonian H unchanged represents a symmetry of the Hamiltonian, which implies the commutativity [H, A] = 0 and, if A is linear and time-independent, a conservation law, namely the invariance of expectation values of A. For non-Hermitian Hamiltonians, H comes into play as a distinct operator that complements H in generalized unitarity relations. The above description of symmetries has to be extended to include also A-pseudohermiticity relations of the form AH = H A. A superoperator formulation of Hamiltonian symmetries is provided and exemplified for Hamiltonians of a particle moving in one-dimension considering the set of A operators that form Klein's 4-group: parity, time-reversal, parity&time-reversal, and unity. The link between symmetry and conservation laws is discussed and shown to be richer and subtler for non-Hermitian than for Hermitian Hamiltonians.This research was funded by Basque Country Government (grant number IT986-16), MINECO/FEDER, UE (grant number FIS2015-67161-P). M.A. Simon acknowledges support by the Basque Government predoctoral program (grant number PRE-2017-2-0051)

Fast transport of two ions in an anharmonic trap

We design fast trajectories of a trap to transport two ions using a shortcut-to-adiabaticity technique based on invariants. The effects of anharmonicity are analyzed first perturbatively, with an approximate, single relative-motion mode, description. Then, we use classical calculations and full quantum calculations. This allows us to identify discrete transport times that minimize excitation in the presence of anharmonicity. An even better strategy to suppress the effects of anharmonicity in a continuous range of transport times is to modify the trajectory using an effective trap frequency shifted with respect to the actual frequency by the coupling between relative and center-of-mass motions.We are grateful to A. Ruschhaupt, D. Leibfried, and U. Poschinger for useful comments. We acknowledge funding by Grants No. IT472-10 and No. FIS2009-12773-C02-01, and the UPV/EHU Program UFI 11/55. M.P. acknowledges a fellowship by UPV/EHU

Shortcuts to adiabaticity: Fast-forward approach

The "fast-forward"approach by Masuda and Nakamura generates driving potentials to accelerate slow quantum adiabatic dynamics. First we present a streamlined version of the formalism that produces the main results in a few steps. Then we show the connection between this approach and inverse engineering based on Lewis-Riesenfeld invariants. We identify in this manner applications in which the engineered potential does not depend on the initial state. Finally we discuss more general applications exemplified by wave splitting processes.We are grateful to S. Masuda and K. Nakamura for discussing their method; also to G. Labeyrie for comments on experimental techniques. We acknowledge funding by Projects No. GIU07/40 and No. FIS2009-12773-C02-01, and the UPV/EHU under program UFI 11/55. E.T. acknowledges financial support from the Basque Government (Grant No.BFI08.151)

Invariant-based inverse engineering of time-dependent, coupled harmonic oscillators

Two-dimensional (2D) systems with time-dependent controls admit a quadratic Hamiltonian modeling near potential minima. Independent, dynamical normal modes facilitate inverse Hamiltonian engineering to control the system dynamics, but some systems are not separable into independent modes by a point transformation. For these "coupled systems" 2D invariants may still guide the Hamiltonian design. The theory to perform the inversion and two application examples are provided: (i) We control the deflection of wave packets in transversally harmonic wave guides and (ii) we design the state transfer from one coupled oscillator to another.This work was supported by the Basque Country Government (Grant No. IT986-16), and by PGC2018-101355-B-I00 (MCIU/AEI/FEDER,UE). E.T. acknowledges support from PGC2018-094792-B-I00 (MCIU/AEI/FEDER,UE), CSIC Research Platform PTI-001, and CAM/FEDER No. S2018/TCS-4342 (QUITEMAD-CM)