No Arabic abstract
In experimental control of quantum systems, the precision is often hindered by imperfect applied electronics that distort control pulses delivered to target quantum devices. To mitigate such error, the deconvolution method is commonly used for compensating the distortion via an identified convolutional model. However, its effectiveness is limited by model inaccuracies (e.g., imprecise parameters or unmodeled distortion dynamics). In this paper, we propose a learning-based scheme to eliminate the residual calibration error by repeatedly applying the deconvolution operations. The resulting iterative deconvolution method is shown to be able to correct both linear and nonlinear model errors to the highest precision allowed by available finite sampling rates. The calibration error induced by finite sampling rates is also analyzed, from which we propose that the inter-sampling error can be suppressed by actively introducing nonlinear components in the control electronics.
Designing a high-quality control is crucial for reliable quantum computation. Among the existing approaches, closed-loop leaning control is an effective choice. Its efficiency depends on the learning algorithm employed, thus deserving algorithmic comparisons for its practical applications. Here, we assess three representative learning algorithms, including GRadient Ascent Pulse Engineering (GRAPE), improved Nelder-Mead (NMplus) and Differential Evolution (DE), by searching for high-quality control pulses to prepare the Bell state. We first implement each algorithm experimentally in a nuclear magnetic resonance system and then conduct a numerical study considering the impact of some possible significant experimental uncertainties. The experiments report the successful preparation of the high-fidelity target state with different convergence speeds by the three algorithms, and these results coincide with the numerical simulations when potential uncertainties are negligible. However, under certain significant uncertainties, these algorithms possess distinct performance with respect to their resulting precision and efficiency. This study provides insight to aid in the practical application of different closed-loop learning algorithms in realistic physical scenarios.
A density matrix approach is developped for the control of a mixed-state quantum system using a time-dependent external field such as a train of pulses. This leads to the definition of a target density matrix constructed in a reduced Hilbert space as a specific combination of the eigenvectors of a given observable through weighting factors related with the initial statistics of the system. A train of pulses is considered as a possible strategy to reach this target. An illustration is given by considering the laser control of molecular alignment / orientation in thermal equilibrium.
We investigate the application of amplitude-shaped control pulses for enhancing the time and frequency resolution of multipulse quantum sensing sequences. Using the electronic spin of a single nitrogen vacancy center in diamond and up to 10,000 coherent microwave pulses with a cosine square envelope, we demonstrate 0.6 ps timing resolution for the interpulse delay. This represents a refinement by over 3 orders of magnitude compared to the 2 ns hardware sampling. We apply the method for the detection of external AC magnetic fields and nuclear magnetic resonance signals of carbon-13 spins with high spectral resolution. Our method is simple to implement and especially useful for quantum applications that require fast phase gates, many control pulses, and high fidelity.
The last decade has witnessed remarkable progress in the development of quantum technologies. Although fault-tolerant devices likely remain years away, the noisy intermediate-scale quantum devices of today may be leveraged for other purposes. Leading candidates are variational quantum algorithms (VQAs), which have been developed for applications including chemistry, optimization, and machine learning, but whose implementations on quantum devices have yet to demonstrate improvements over classical capabilities. In this Perspective, we propose a variety of ways that the performance of VQAs could be informed by quantum optimal control theory. To set the stage, we identify VQAs and quantum optimal control as formulations of variational optimization at the circuit level and pulse level, respectively, where these represent just two levels in a broader hierarchy of abstractions that we consider. In this unified picture, we suggest several ways that the different levels of abstraction may be connected, in order to facilitate the application of quantum optimal control theory to VQA challenges associated with ansatz selection, optimization landscapes, noise, and robustness. A major theme throughout is the need for sufficient control resources in VQA implementations; we discuss different ways this need can manifest, outline a variety of open questions, and conclude with a look to the future.
We combine a quantum dynamical propagator that explicitly accounts for quantum mechanical time ordering with optimal control theory. After analyzing its performance with a simple model, we apply it to a superconducting circuit under so-called Pythagorean control. Breakdown of the rotating-wave approximation is the main source of the very strong time-dependence in this example. While the propagator that accounts for the time ordering in an iterative fashion proves its numerical efficiency for the dynamics of the superconducting circuit, its performance when combined with optimal control turns out to be rather sensitive to the strength of the time-dependence. We discuss the kind of quantum gate operations that the superconducting circuit can implement including their performance bounds in terms of fidelity and speed.