Attosecond physics with neutrons and electrons: Ultrafast entanglement and decoherence phenomena involving protons in condensed matter and molecules

Nuclei and electrons in condensed matter and/or molecules are usually entangled, due to the prevailing electromagnetic interactions. Usually, the “environment” of a microscopic scattering system (e.g., a proton) causes an ultrafast decoherence, thus making atomic and/or nuclear entanglement effects not directly accessible to experiments. However, neutron Compton scattering (NCS) and electron Compton scattering represent ultrafast techniques operating in the sub-femtosecond timescale, thus opening a way for investigation of such dehoherence and short-lived entanglement phenomena of atoms in molecules and condensed matter. The experimental context of NCS and a new striking scattering effect from protons (H-atoms) in several condensed systems and molecules are described. In short, one observes an “anomalous” decrease of scattering intensity from protons, which seem to become partially “invisible” to the neutrons. The experiments apply large energy (several electronvolts) and momentum (10–200 Å^?1 transfers, and the collisional (or scattering) time between the neutron and a struck proton is only 100–1000 attoseconds long. Similar results are also obtained with electron-atom Compton scattering at large momentum transfers. As an example, we present new NCS experimental results from a single crystal, which also provide new physical insights into the attosecond quantum dynamics of protons in molecules and condensed matter. Theoretical discussions and models are presented which show that the effect under consideration is caused by the non-unitary time evolution (due to decoherence) of open quantum systems during the ultrashort, but finite, time-window of the neutron-proton scattering process. The conceptual connection with the well known Quantum Zeno Effect is pointed out. The experimental results, together with their qualitative interpretation “from first principles,” show that epithermal neutrons being available at spallation sources, and electron spectrometers providing large momentum transfers, may represent novel tools for investigation of thus far unknown physical and chemical attosecond phenomena.     

Stable macroscopic quantum superpositions

We study the stability of superpositions of macroscopically distinct quantum states under decoherence. We introduce a class of quantum states with entanglement features similar to Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) states, but with an inherent stability against noise and decoherence. We show that in contrast to GHZ states, these so-called concatenated GHZ states remain multipartite entangled even for macroscopic numbers of particles and can be used for quantum metrology in noisy environments. We also propose a scalable experimental realization of these states using existing ion-trap setups.     

Gravitational Decoherence and EPR Correlations

It is shown that gravitons in a mixed (thermal) state can lead to a decoherence in large quantum systems. As a consequence the nonlocal Einstein–Podolsky–Rosen phenomena resulting from quantum coherence can disappear in some particle states after a quantization of Einstein gravity.     

Coherence theory and coherence phenomena in a closed spin‐1/2 system

A simplified Heisenberg spin model is studied in order to examine the idea of decoherence in closed quantum systems. For this purpose, we present a quantifiable definition to quantum coherence Ξ, and discuss in some detail a general coherence theory and its elementary results. As expected, decoherence is understood as a statistical process that is caused by the dynamics of the system, similar to the growth of entropy. It appears that coherence is an important measure that helps to understand quantum properties of a system, e.g., the decoherence time can be derived from the coherence function Ξ(t), but not from the entropy dynamics. Moreover, the concept of decoherence time is applicable in closed and finite systems. However, in most cases, the decay of off‐diagonal elements differs from the usual exp(‐t/τ_d) behaviour. For concreteness, we report the form of decoherence time τ_d in a finite Heisenberg model with respect to the number of particles N, density n_ρ, spatial dimension D and ? in a η/r^?‐type of potential.     

Coherence stability in three-level systems

We study the decoherence rate for estimating the time at which the coherence instability of a quantum pure state is onset. We analyze the coherence stability of pure states of a three-level quantum system under the effect of a bosonic reservoir and driven by two Raman classical fields. By assuming the boson systems to be in thermal states we find for a symmetric V-system a set of three states free from decoherence and, for a symmetric cascade-system, a two-dimensional subspace whose states are stable against the considered decoherence mechanism.     

Multiparticle state tomography: hidden differences

We address the problem of completely characterizing multiparticle states including loss of information to unobserved degrees of freedom. In systems where nonclassical interference plays a role, such as linear-optics quantum gates, such information can degrade interference in two ways, by decoherence and by distinguishing the particles. Distinguishing information, often the limiting factor for quantum optical devices, is not correctly described by previous state-reconstruction techniques, which account only for decoherence. We extend these techniques and find that a single modified density matrix can completely describe partially coherent, partially distinguishable states. We use this observation to experimentally characterize two-photon polarization states in single-mode optical fiber.     

用光晶格模拟狄拉克、外尔和麦克斯韦方程

相对论性量子力学波动方程,如狄拉克、外尔和麦克斯韦方程,是描述微观粒子运动的基石.最近的实验和理论研究表明,冷原子系统中几乎所有参数都可精确调控,因此冷原子系统被认为是实现量子模拟的理想平台,可以用来研究高能和凝聚态物理中的一些基本问题.本文介绍了设计原子光晶格哈密顿量的思路和方法,主要涉及激光辅助跳跃的理论.基于这些方法,物理学界提出了利用光晶格体系模拟相对论性量子力学波动方程,包括狄拉克、外尔和麦克斯韦方程等,并且预言了一些在基本粒子物理中很难观察到,但在冷原子体系可能观察到的物理现象.本文综述了国际上此领域的研究进展.     

基于无消相干子空间的量子避错码设计

针对量子系统的联合消相干模型,可以找到一些不受消相干错误影响的系统状态,这种状态被称为相干保持态,所有相干保持态构成的空间就称为无消相干子空间(decoherencefreesubspace,缩写为DFS).利用DFS的特性可以实现自动容错的量子避错码.首先提出一种DFS的定义,并且以定理的形式证明其他DFS的定义都是等价的.然后给出了DFS的存在性定理.最后利用群论的方法设计一种构造DFS的简单方法 关键词： 相干保持态 无消相干子空间 量子避错码 容错量子计算     

Protecting qutrit-qutrit entanglement by weak measurement and reversal

Entangled states in high dimensional systems are of great interest due to the extended possibilities they provide in quantum information processing. Recently, Sun et al. [Phys. Rev. A 82, 052323 (2010)] and Kim et al. [Nat. Phys. 8, 117 (2012)] pointed out that weak measurement and quantum weak measurement reversal can actively combat decoherence. We generalize their studies from qubits to qutrits under amplitude damping decoherence. We find that the qutrit-qutrit entanglement can be partially retrieved for certain initial states when only weak measurement reversals are performed. However, we can completely defeat amplitude damping decoherence for any initial states by the combination of prior weak measurements and post optimal weak measurement reversals. The experimental feasibility of our schemes is also discussed.     

Spin quantum computation in silicon nanostructures

Proposed silicon-based quantum-computer architectures have attracted attention because of their promise for scalability and their potential for synergetically utilizing the available resources associated with the existing Si technology infrastructure. Electronic and nuclear spins of shallow donors (e.g. phosphorus) in Si are ideal candidates for qubits in such proposals because of their long spin coherence times due to their limited interactions with their environments. For these spin qubits, shallow donor exchange gates are frequently invoked to perform two-qubit operations. We discuss in this review a particularly important spin decoherence channel, and bandstructure effects on the exchange gate control. Specifically, we review our work on donor electron spin spectral diffusion due to background nuclear spin flip-flops, and how isotopic purification of silicon can significantly enhance the electron spin dephasing time. We then review our calculation of donor electron exchange coupling in the presence of degenerate silicon conduction band valleys. We show that valley interference leads to orders of magnitude variations in electron exchange coupling when donor configurations are changed on an atomic scale. These studies illustrate the substantial potential that donor electron/nuclear spins in silicon have as candidates for qubits and simultaneously the considerable challenges they pose. In particular, our work on spin decoherence through spectral diffusion points to the possible importance of isotopic purification in the fabrication of scalable solid state quantum computer architectures. We also provide a critical comparison between the two main proposed spin-based solid state quantum computer architectures, namely, shallow donor bound states in Si and localized quantum dot states in GaAs.     

Concerted versus stepwise mechanisms of cyclic proton transfer: Experiments,simulations, and current challenges

Proton transfer (PT) is a process of fundamental importance in hydrogen (H)-bonded systems. At cryogenic or moderate temperatures, pronounced quantum tunneling may happen due to the light mass of H. Single PT processes have been extensively studied. However, for PT involving multiple protons, our understanding remains in its infancy stage due to the complicated interplay between the high-dimensional nature of the process and the quantum nature of tunneling. Cyclic H-bonded systems are typical examples of this, where PT can happen separately via a "stepwise" mechanism or collectively via a "concerted" mechanism. In the first scenario, some protons hop first, typically resulting in metastable intermediate states (ISs) and the reaction pathway passes through multiple transition states. Whilst in the concerted mechanism, all protons move simultaneously, resulting in only one barrier along the path. Here, we review previous experimental and theoretical studies probing quantum tunneling in several representative systems for cyclic PT, with more focus on recent theoretical findings with path-integral based methods. For gas-phase porphyrin and porphycene, as well as porphycene on a metal surface, theoretical predictions are consistent with experimental observations, and enhance our understanding of the processes. Yet, discrepancies in the PT kinetic isotope effects between experiment and theory appear in two systems, most noticeably in water tetramer adsorbed on NaCl (001) surface, and also hinted in porphycene adsorbed on Ag (110) surface. In ice I_h, controversy surrounding concerted PT remains even between experiments. Despite of the recent progress in both theoretical methods and experimental techniques, multiple PT processes in cyclic H-bonded systems remain to be mysterious.     

利用超导量子电路模拟拓扑量子材料

近年来,探索新的拓扑量子材料、研究拓扑材料的新奇物理性质成为凝聚态物理领域的一个热点.但是,由于合成、测量等手段的限制,人们难以在真实材料中实现和观测很多理论预言的材料及其物理性质,促使量子模拟日益成为研究量子多体系统的一个重要手段.作为全固态器件,超导量子电路是一个在扩展性、集成性、调控性上都具有巨大优势的人工量子系统,是实现量子模拟的重要方案.本文总结了利用超导量子电路对时间-空间反演对称性保护的拓扑半金属、Hopf-link半金属和Maxwell半金属等拓扑材料的量子模拟,显示出超导量子电路在模拟凝聚态物理系统方面具有广阔前景.     

金刚石氮空位中心自旋量子调控

量子计算和量子传感近年来受到了广泛的关注.金刚石氮空位中心以其简单稳定的自旋能级结构、高效便捷的光学跃迁规则以及室温下超长的自旋量子态相干时间而成为量子信息科学中引人瞩目的新星.本文从实验研究的角度介绍金刚石氮空位中心自旋量子调控的基础理论、典型技术和代表性结果;重点讨论1)如何通过光磁共振方法在室温大气环境下对单个自旋进行探测和相干操控,2)金刚石中自旋量子比特退相干的主要机制和抑制手段,3)自旋态相干操控技术在量子传感中的应用;最后对氮空位中心在量子计算和量子传感中的发展趋势进行了小结.     

Anomalous decoherence effect in a quantum bath

Decoherence of quantum objects in noisy environments is important in quantum sciences and technologies. It is generally believed that different processes coupled to the same noise source have similar decoherence behaviors and stronger noises cause faster decoherence. Here we show that in a quantum bath, the case can be the opposite. We predict that the multitransition of a nitrogen-vacancy center spin-1 in diamond can have longer coherence time than the single transitions, even though the former suffers twice stronger noises from the nuclear spin bath than the latter. This anomalous decoherence effect is due to manipulation of the bath evolution via flips of the center spin.     

Spin manipulation of free two-dimensional electrons in Si/SiGe quantum wells

Understanding the mechanisms controlling the spin coherence of electrons in semiconductors is essential for designing structures for quantum computing applications. Using a pulsed electron paramagnetic resonance spectrometer, we measure spin echoes and deduce a spin coherence time (T2) of up to 3 mus for an ensemble of free two-dimensional electrons confined in a Si/SiGe quantum well. The decoherence can be understood in terms of momentum scattering causing fluctuating effective Rashba fields. Further confining the electrons into a nondegenerate (other than spin) ground state of a quantum dot can be expected to eliminate this decoherence mechanism.     

Blind Quantum Signature with Controlled Four-Particle Cluster States

A novel blind quantum signature scheme based on cluster states is introduced. Cluster states are a type of multi-qubit entangled states and it is more immune to decoherence than other entangled states. The controlled four-particle cluster states are created by acting controlled-Z gate on particles of four-particle cluster states. The presented scheme utilizes the above entangled states and simplifies the measurement basis to generate and verify the signature. Security analysis demonstrates that the scheme is unconditional secure. It can be employed to E-commerce systems in quantum scenario.     

Temperature can enhance coherent oscillations at a Landau-Zener transition

We consider sweeping a system through a Landau-Zener avoided crossing, when that system is also coupled to an environment or noise. Unsurprisingly, we find that decoherence suppresses the coherent oscillations of quantum superpositions of system states, as superpositions decohere into mixed states. However, we also find an effect we call "Lamb-assisted coherent oscillations," in which a Lamb shift exponentially enhances the coherent-oscillation amplitude. This dominates for high-frequency environments such as super-Ohmic environments, where the coherent oscillations can grow exponentially as either the environment coupling or temperature are increased. The effect could be used as an experimental probe for high-frequency environments in such systems as molecular magnets, solid-state qubits, spin-polarized gases (neutrons or He3), or Bose condensates.     

Multipartite entanglement transfer in a hybrid circuit-QED system

We study the multi-qubit entanglement transfer in a hybrid circuit quantum electrodynamics system, where the memory and operation registers are, respectively, implemented using nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond and superconducting charge qubits, because of their respective good coherence and controllability. We show that, with some local operations, both the Bell states and multi-qubit W states can be transferred perfectly in the non-dissipative case. In addition, we also consider the influence of the decoherence on the state transfer. It is found that a high-fidelity state transfer can be achieved only when the decoherence rates are much smaller than the coupling strength between the qubits.     

多粒子纠缠的保护方案

量子纠缠是量子信息的重要物理资源. 然而当量子系统与环境相互作用时, 会不可避免地产生消相干导致纠缠下降, 因此保护纠缠不受环境的影响具有重要意义. 振幅衰减是一种典型的衰减机制. 如果探测环境保证没有激发从系统中流出, 即视为对系统的一种弱测量. 本文基于局域脉冲序列和弱测量, 提出了一种可以保护多粒子纠缠不受振幅衰减影响的有效物理方案, 保护的对象是在量子通信和量子计算中发挥重要作用的Cluster态和Maximal slice态.