We suggest a novel proposal to express decoherence in open quantum systems by jointly employing spectral and stochastic methods. This proposal, which basically perturbs the unitary evolution operator in a random fashion, allows us to embrace both markovian and nonmarkovian situations with little extra effort. We argue that it can be very suitable to deal with models where an approximation neglecting some degrees of freedom is undertaken. Mathematical simplicity is also obtained both to solve some master equations and to arrive at experimentally measured decoherence functions.
We examine a stochastic noise process that has a decohering effect on the average evolution of qubits in the quantum register of the solid state quantum computer proposed by Kane. We consider the effects of this process on the single qubit operations necessary to perform quantum logical gates and derive an expression for the fidelity of these gates in this system. We then calculate an upper bound on the level of this stochastic noise tolerable in a workable quantum computer.
The effects of decoherence for quantum system coupled with a bosonic field are investigated. An application of the stochastic golden rule shows that in the stochastic limit the dynamics of such a system is described by a quantum stochastic differential equation. The corresponding master equation describes convergence of a system to equilibrium. In particular it predicts exponential damping for off-diagonal matrix elements of the system density matrix, moreover these elements for a generic system will decay at least as \exp(-tN{kT\over\hbar}), where N is a number of particles in the system. As …
We study decoherence induced by stochastic squeezing control errors considering the particular implementation of Hadamard gate on optical and ion trap holonomic quantum computers. We find the fidelity for Hadamard gate and compute the purity of the final state when the control noise is modeled by Ornstein-Uhlenbeck stochastic process. We demonstrate that in contradiction to the case of the systematic control errors the stochastic ones lead to decoherence of the final state. In the small errors limit we derive a simple formulae connecting the gate fidelity and the purity of the final state.
In this work, two experimentally feasible methods of decoherence engineering-one based on the application of stochastic classical kicks and the other based on temporally randomized pulse sequences are combined. A different coupling interaction is proposed, which leads to amplitude damping as compared to existing methods which model phase damping, utilizing the $zz$ coupling interaction. The decoherence process on combining the stochastic kick method and the randomized pulse sequence method and the effectiveness of dynamical decoupling under these coupling interactions are analyzed. Finally, a …
We present a general master equation for the quantum dynamics of a scalar bosonic particle interacting with an external weak and stochastic gravitational field. The dynamics predicts decoherence in position as well as in momentum. We show how the master equation reproduces the results present in the literature by taking appropriate limits, thus explaining the apparent contradiction in their dynamical description. We apply our model to a matter wave experiment, providing a practical formula for determining of the magnitude of gravitational decoherence. We compare it with the standard experiment…
A full treatment of decoherence and dephasing effects in BEC interferometry has been developed based on using quantum correlation functions for treating interferometric effects. The BEC is described via a phase space distribution functional of the Wigner type for the condensate modes and the positive P type for the non-condensate modes. Ito equations for stochastic condensate and non-condensate field functions replace the functional Fokker-Planck equation for the distribution functional and stochastic averages of field function products determine the quantum correlation functions.
In this paper we investigate non-Markovian evolution of a two-level system (qubit) in a bosonic bath under influence of an external classical fluctuating environment. The interaction with the bath has the Lorentzian spectral density, and the fluctuating environment (stochastic field) is represented by a set of Ornstein-Uhlenbeck processes. Each of the subenvironments of the composite environment is able to induce non-Markovian dynamics of the two-level system. By means of the numerically exact method of hierarchical equations of motion, we study dependence of the steady states of the two-level…
We study decoherence induced by stochastic squeezing control errors considering the particular implementation of Hadamard gate on optical and ion trap holonomic quantum computers. We analytically obtain both the purity of the final state and the fidelity for Hadamard gate when the control noise is modeled by Ornstein-Uhlenbeck stochastic process. We demonstrate the purity and the fidelity oscillations depending on the choice of the initial superimposed state. We derive a linear formulae connecting the gate fidelity and the purity of the final state.
Computational advantages gained by quantum algorithms rely largely on the coherence of quantum devices and are generally compromised by decoherence. As an exception, we present a quantum algorithm for graph isomorphism testing whose performance is optimal when operating in the partially coherent regime, as opposed to the extremes of fully coherent or classical regimes. The algorithm builds on continuous-time quantum stochastic walks (QSWs) on graphs and the algorithmic performance is quantified by the distinguishing power (DIP) between non-isomorphic graphs. The QSW explores the entire graph a…
Based on a generic quantum open system model, we study the geometric nature of decoherence by defining a complex-valued geometric phase through stochastic pure states describing non-unitary, non-cyclic and non-adiabatic evolutions. The ensemble average of the complex geometric phases for the pure stochastic states yields a conventional geometric phase together with an amplitude factor. We show that the decoherence process described by the decaying amplitude can be a geometric quantity independent of the system's dynamics. It is a remarkable fact that the geometric phase of a quantum system can…
The paper investigates the non-local property of quantum mechanics in the quantum hydrodynamic analogy (QHA) given by Madelung. The role of the quantum potential in generating the non-local dynamics of quantum mechanics is analyzed. The work shows how in presence of noise the non-local properties as well as the quantization of the action are perturbed. The resulting stochastic QHA dynamics much depend by the strength of the interaction: Strongly bounded systems (such as linear ones) lead to quantum entangled stochastic behavior, while weakly bounded ones may be not able to maintain the quantum…
The Schrödinger-Newton [SN] equation describes the effect of self-gravity on the evolution of a quantum system, and it has been proposed that gravitationally induced decoherence drives the system to one of the stationary solutions of the SN equation. However, the equation by itself lacks a decoherence mechanism, because it does not possess any stochastic feature. In the present work we derive a stochastic modification of the Schrödinger-Newton equation, starting from the Einstein-Langevin equation in the theory of stochastic semiclassical gravity. We specialize this equation to the case of a s…
Decoherence is the process by which quantum systems interact and become correlated with their external environments; quantum trajectories are a powerful technique by which decohering systems can be resolved into stochastic evolutions, conditioned on different possible ``measurements'' of the environment. By calling on recently-developed tools from quantum information theory, we can analyze simplified models of decoherence, explicitly quantifying the flow of information and randomness between the system, the environment, and potential observers.
Careful monitoring of harmonically bound (or as a limiting case, free) masses is the basis of current and future gravitational wave detectors, and of nanomechanical devices designed to access the quantum regime. We analyze the effects of stochastic localization models for state vector reduction, and of related models for environmental decoherence, on such systems, focusing our analysis on the non-dissipative forced harmonic oscillator, and its free mass limit. We derive an explicit formula for the time evolution of the expectation of a general operator in the presence of stochastic reduction o…
In this paper, we investigate decoherence of Knill, Laflamme, and Milburn's nonlinear sign-shift gate that is implemented with the Jaynes-Cummings model. Introducing a stochastic variable as an external electric field, we let it couple with a dipole moment of a two-level atom. We examine this model using a semiclassical theory. Results of the Monte Carlo simulations under the semiclassical approximation correspond well with those obtained with the quantum mechanical perturbation theory for the stochastic process. In the results of the simulations, we observe both the $\mbox{T}_{1}$ and $\mbox{…
We propose an open quantum systems approach to the physics of heavy quarkonia in a thermal medium, based on stochastic quantum evolution. This description emphasizes the importance of collisions with the environment and focuses on the concept of spatial decoherence of the heavy quarkonium wave function. It is shown how to determine the parameters of the dynamical evolution, i.e. the real potential and the noise strength, from a comparison with quantities to be obtained from lattice QCD. Furthermore the imaginary part of the lattice QCD heavy quark potential is found to be naturally related to …
We investigate the meaning of gravity-induced decoherence in quantum theory, known as `intrinsic' or `fundamental' decoherence in the literature. We explore a range of issues relevant to this problem, including the meaning of modified uncertainty relations, the interpretations of the Planck scale, the distinction between quantum and stochastic fluctuations and the role of the time variable in quantum mechanics. We examine the specific physical assumptions that enter into different approaches to the subject. In particular, we critique two representative approaches that identify time fluctuation…
Solution of free particle quantum master equation with spatial decoherence can be unravelled into stochastic quantum trajectories in many ways. The first example, published in 1985, proposed a piecewise deterministic jump process for the wave function. While alternative unravellings, diffusive ones in particular, proved to be tractable analytically, the jump process 1985, also called orthojump, allows for few analytic results, it needs numeric methods as well. Here we prove that, similarly to diffusive unravellings, it is localizing the quantum state.
We report an anomalous decoherence phenomenon of a quantum dissipative system in the framework of a stochastic decoupling scheme along with a hierarchical equations-of-motion formalism without the usual Born-Markov or weak coupling approximations. It is found that the decoherence of a two-qubit spin-boson model can be reduced by increasing the bath temperature in strong-coupling regimes. For the weak-coupling situation, we find that the bath temperature may enhance the decoherence. This result is contrary to the common recognition that a higher bath temperature always induces a more severe dec…
We find the conditions for one quantum system to function as a classical controller of another quantum system: the controller must be an open system and rapidly diagonalised in the basis of the controller variable that is coupled to the controlled system. This causes decoherence in the controlled system that can be made small if the rate of diagonalisation is fast. We give a detailed example based on the quantum optomechanical control of a mechanical resonator. The resulting equations are similar in structure to recently proposed models for consistently combining quantum and classical stochast…
By means of expressing volumes in phase space in terms of traces of quantum operators, a relationship between the Hamiltonian poles and the Lyapunov exponents in a non Hermitian quantum dynamics, is presented. We illustrate the formalism by characterizing the behavior of the Gamow model whose dissipative decay time, measured by its decoherence time, is found to be inversely proportional to the Lyapunov exponents of the unstable periodic orbits. The results are in agreement with those obtained by means of the semiclassical periodic-orbit approach in quantum resonances theory but using a simpler…
The application of a random modulation of a system parameter usually increases decoherence effects. Here we show how, employing an appropriate stochastic modulation, it is instead possible to preserve the quantum coherence of a system.
Mathematical models of quantum computers such as a multidimensional quantum Turing machine and quantum circuits are described and its relations with lattice spin models are discussed. One of the main open problems one has to solve if one wants to build a quantum computer is the decoherence due to the coupling with the environment. We propose a possible solution of this problem by using a control of parameters of the system. This proposal is based on the analysis of the spin-boson Hamiltonian performed in the stochastic limit approximation.
We address decoherence and classicalization of continuous-time quantum walks (CTQWs) on graphs. In particular, we investigate three different models of decoherence, and employ the quantum-classical (QC) dynamical distance as a figure of merit to assess whether, and to which extent, decoherence classicalizes the CTQW, i.e. turns it into the analogue classical process. We show that the dynamics arising from intrinsic decoherence, i.e. dephasing in the energy basis, do not fully classicalize the walker and partially preserves quantum features. On the other hand, dephasing in the position basis, a…
We consider the description of quantum noise within the framework of the standard Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics applied to a composite system environment setting. Averaging over the environmental degrees of freedom leads to a stochastic quantum dynamics, described by equations complying with the constraints arising from the statistical structure of quantum mechanics. Simple examples are considered in the framework of open system dynamics described within a master equation approach, pointing in particular to the appearance of the phenomenon of decoherence and to the relevance o…
We propose a stochastic modification of the Schrödinger-Newton equation which takes into account the effect of extrinsic spacetime fluctuations. We use this equation to demonstrate gravitationally induced decoherence of two gaussian wave-packets, and obtain a decoherence criterion similar to those obtained in the earlier literature in the context of effects of gravity on the Schrödinger equation.
The mechanism of the transition of a dynamical system from quantum to classical mechanics is one of the remaining challenges of quantum theory. Currently, it is considered to occur via decoherence caused by entanglement and/or stochastic interaction with a quantum environment. Here we prove that, in the absence of de-phasing environmental interaction, the asymptotic spatial wave function of any quantum system, propagating over distances and times large on an atomic scale but still microscopic, and subject to arbitrary deterministic fields, becomes proportional to the initial momentum wave func…
We study the decoherence process associated with the scattering of stochastic backgrounds of gravitational waves. We show that it has a negligible influence on HYPER-like atomic interferometers although it may dominate decoherence of macroscopic motions, such as the planetary motion of the Moon around the Earth.
We examine the adiabatic dynamics of a quantum system coupled to a noisy classical control field. A stochastic phase shift is shown to arise in the off-diagonal elements of the system's density matrix which can cause decoherence. We derive the condition for onset of decoherence, and identify the noise properties that drive decoherence. We show how this decoherence mechansim causes: (1) a dephasing of the observable consequences of the adiabatic geometric phase; and (2) the loss of computational efficiency of the Shor algorithm when run on a sufficiently noisy geometric quantum computer.
Recent work has proposed that the interaction between ordinary matter and a stochastic gravitational background can lead to the decoherence of large aggregates of ordinary matter. In this work we point out that these arguments can be carried over to a stochastic neutrino background but with the Planck scale of the gravitational decoherence replaced by the weak scale. This implies that it might be possible to observe such neutrino induced decoherence on a small, microscopic system rather than a macroscopic system as is the case for gravitationally induced decoherence. In particular we suggest t…
Decoherence of a quantum system induced by the interaction with its environment (measuring medium) may be presented phenomenologically as a continuous (or repeated) fuzzy quantum measurement. The dynamics of the system subject to continuous decoherence (measurement) may be described by the complex-Hamiltonian Schroedinger equation, stochastic Schroedinger equation of a certain type or (nonselectively) by the Lindblad master equation. The formulation of this dynamics with the help of restricted path integrals shows that the dynamics of the measured system depends only on the information recorde…
A coarse-grained quantum operator technique is used along with the formalism of Bohmian mechanics endowed with stochastic character at the quantum level in order to address some central issues in the quantum theory of measurement. A surprisingly simple picture of decoherence and EPR correlations emerges from its use.
We develop and implement a method for modeling decoherence processes on an N-dimensional quantum system that requires only an $N^2$-dimensional quantum environment and random classical fields. This model offers the advantage that it may be implemented on small quantum information processors in order to explore the intermediate regime between semiclassical and fully quantum models. We consider in particular $σ_zσ_z$ system-environment couplings which induce coherence (phase) damping, though the model is directly extendable to other coupling Hamiltonians. Effective, irreversible phase-damping of…
We consider how randomness can be made to play a useful role in quantum information processing - in particular, for decoherence control and the implementation of quantum algorithms. For a two-level system in which the decoherence channel is non-dissipative, we show that decoherence suppression is possible if memory is present in the channel. Random switching between two potentially harmful noise sources can then provide a source of stochastic control. Such random switching can also be used in an advantageous way for the implementation of quantum algorithms.
We study and compare the decoherent histories approach, the environment-induced decoherence and the localization properties of thesolutions to the stochastic Schrödinger equation in quantum jump simulationand quantum state diffusion approaches, for a quantum two-level system model. We show, in particular, that there is a close connection between the decoherent histories and the quantum jump simulation, complementing a connection with the quantum state diffusion approach noted earlier by Diósi, Gisin, Halliwell and Percival. In the case of the decoherent histories analysis, the degree of approx…
This paper considers a class of open quantum systems with an algebraic structure of dynamic variables, including the Pauli matrices for finite-level systems as a particular case. The Hamiltonian and the operators of coupling of the system to the external bosonic fields depend linearly on the system variables. The fields are represented by quantum Wiener processes which drive the system dynamics in the form of a quasilinear Hudson-Parthasarathy quantum stochastic differential equation whose drift vector and dispersion matrix are affine and linear functions of the system variables. This quasilin…
The present paper outlines a basic theoretical treatment of decoherence and dephasing effects in interferometry based on single component BEC in double potential wells, where two condensate modes may be involved. Results for both two mode condensates and the simpler single mode condensate case are presented. A hybrid phase space distribution functional method is used where the condensate modes are described via a truncated Wigner representation, and the basically unoccupied non-condensate modes are described via a positive P representation. The Hamiltonian for the system is described in terms …
We study the decoherence process associated with the scattering of stochastic gravitational waves. We discuss the case of macroscopic systems, such as the planetary motion of the Moon around the Earth, for which gravitational scattering is found to dominate decoherence though it has a negligible influence on damping. This contrast is due to the very high effective temperature of the background of gravitational waves in our galactic environment.
We derive a general quantum master equation for the dynamics of a scalar bosonic particle interacting with a weak, stochastic and classical external gravitational field. The dynamics predicts decoherence in position, momentum and energy. We show how our master equation reproduces the results present in the literature by taking appropriate limits, thus explaining the apparent contradiction in their dynamical description. Our result is relevant in light of the increasing interest in the low energy quantum-gravity regime.
We consider the simple hypothesis of letting quantum systems have an inherent random nature. Using well-known stochastic methods we thus derive a stochastic evolution operator which let us define a stochastic density operator whose expectation value under certain conditions satisfies a Lindblad equation. As natural consequences of the former assumption decoherence and spontaneous emission processes are obtained under the same conceptual scheme. A temptative solution for the preferred basis problem is suggested. All this is illustrated with a comprehensive study of a two-level quantum system ev…
There exists the well known approximate expression describing the large time behaviour of matrix elements of the evolution operator in quantum theory: <U(t)>=exp(at)+... This expression plays the crucial role in considerations of problems of quantum decoherence, radiation, decay, scattering theory, stochastic limit, derivation of master and kinetic equations etc. This expression was obtained in the Weisskopf-Wigner approximation and in the van Hove (stochastic) limit. We derive the exact general formula which includes the higher order corrections to the above approximate expression: <U(t)>=exp…
We study the dynamics of a quantum spin ensemble controlled by trains of ultrashort pulses. To model disturbances of the kicks, we consider that the spins are submitted to different kick trains which follow regular, random, stochastic or chaotic dynamical processes. These are described by dynamical systems on a torus. We study the quantum decoherence and the population relaxation of the spin ensemble induced by these classical dynamical processes disturbing the kick trains. For chaotic kick trains we show that the decoherence and the relaxation processes exhibit a signature of chaos directly r…
We consider a continuous measurement of a two-level system (double-dot) by weakly coupled detector (tunnel point contact nearby). While usual treatment leads to the gradual system decoherence due to the measurement, we show that the knowledge of the measurement result can restore the pure wavefunction at any time (this can be experimentally verified). The formalism allows to write a simple Langevin equation for the random evolution of the system density matrix which is reflected and caused by the stochastic detector output. Gradual wavefunction ``collapse'' and quantum Zeno effect are naturall…
In this review we deal with open (dissipative and stochastic) quantum systems within the Bohmian mechanics framework which has the advantage to provide a clear picture of quantum phenomena in terms of trajectories, originally in configuration space. The gradual decoherence process is studied from linear and nonlinear Schrödinger equations through Bohmian trajectories as well as by using the so-called quantum-classical transition differential equation through scaled trajectories. This transition is governed by a continuous parameter, the transition parameter, covering these two extreme open dyn…
Thermal decoherence is a major obstacle to the realization of quantum coherence for massive mechanical oscillators. Although optical trapping has been used to reduce the thermal decoherence rate for such oscillators, it also increases the rate by subjecting the oscillator to stochastic forces resulting from the frequency fluctuations of the optical field, thereby setting a fundamental limit on the reduction. This is analogous to the noise penalty in an active feedback system. Here, we directly measure the rethermalizaton process for an initially cooled and optically trapped suspended mirror, a…
We consider a continuous measurement of a two-level system (double-dot) by weakly coupled detector (tunnel point contact nearby). While usual treatment leads to the gradual system decoherence due to the measurement, we show that the knowledge of the measurement result can restore the pure wavefunction at any time (this can be experimentally verified). The formalism allows to write a simple Langevin equation for the random evolution of the system density matrix which is reflected and caused by the stochastic detector output. Gradual wavefunction ``collapse'' and quantum Zeno effect are naturall…
Intrinsic mixed state topological order in a stabilizer system under stochastic decoherence: Strong-to-weak spontaneous symmetry breaking from percolation point of view
We develop a master equation formalism to describe the evolution of the average density matrix of a closed quantum system driven by a stochastic Hamiltonian. The average over random processes generally results in decoherence effects in closed system dynamics, in addition to the usual unitary evolution. We then show that, for an important class of problems in which the Hamiltonian is proportional to a Gaussian random process, the 2nd-order master equation yields exact dynamics. The general formalism is applied to study the examples of a two-level system, two atoms in a stochastic magnetic field…
