Speeding up maximum population transfer in periodically driven multi-level quantum systems

Abstract

Abstract A fast and robust approach to controlling the quantum state of a multi-level quantum system is investigated using a twofrequency time-varying potential. A comparison with other related approaches in the context of a two-level system is also presented, showing similar times and fidelities. As a concrete example, we study the problem of a particle in a box with a periodically oscillating infinite square-well potential, from which we obtain results that can be applied to systems with periodically oscillating boundary conditions. We show that the transition between the ground and first excited state is about 20 times faster than the one performed using a single frequency, both with fidelity of 99.97%. The transition time is about 3.5 times the minimum allowed by quantum mechanics. A test of the robustness of the approach is presented, concluding that, counter-intuitively, it is not only faster but also easier to tune up two frequencies than one. This robustness makes the approach suitable for real applications.