Transcript Slide 1

Dynamics and decoherence of a qubit coupled to a two-level system
S. Ashhab1, J. R. Johansson1 and Franco Nori1,2
1Frontier
Research System, The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (RIKEN), Wako, Saitama, Japan
2Center for Theoretical Physics, CSCS, Department of Physics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
Summary
We study the effects of an uncontrollable quantum two-level system (TLS) on the qubit dynamics. We consider both the decoherence dynamics
and the qubit’s response to an oscillating external field.
Model of qubit-environment
Decoherence dynamics
Hamiltonian:
Outside dashed line:
We only need to know S(w).
Master equation:
Inside dashed line:
We need to know exact
nature of the noise sources.
Trace out TLS
Density matrix of entire system
Qubit dynamics.
Q1: When can we use
the classical picture?
Results: 1 - Weakly vs. strongly dissipative TLS
Dephasing
Relaxation
Q2: What happens if we try to drive
Rabi oscillations in the qubit?
Rabi oscillations
Energy levels in
dressed-state
picture:
Longer TLS T1, T2  More memory  Non-markovian behavior
Focus
on one
quantum
TLS.
a)
G
 G
TLS
q
Short transient time ~ 1/GTLS followed by exponential decay.
I.e., the steady state is an exponential decay with a
corrected Gq.
b)
G TLS  G q
Transient time ~ 1/GTLS comparable to decoherence time
(1/Gq).
A steady state exponential decay is almost reached.
c)
G TLS  G q
Estimated transient time ~ 1/GTLS exceeds decoherence
time (1/Gq).
Qubit decay cannot be described in terms of exponential
decay functions, i.e., no G1q and G2q.
Results: 2 – Weakly vs. strongly coupled TLS
When the coupling strength is larger than all
decoherence rates in the problem  Strong coupling.
Expected result: Rabi resonance peak splits into two when
coupling strength is increased.

Otherwise
Weak coupling.
Results: 3 – Comparison with traditional weak-coupling
approximation
Traditional weak-coupling
approximation
Y-axis: Maximum qubit excitation probability between t=0 and t=20p/W0.
Additional results:
1) Zero detuning peak: two-photon process flipping both qubit
and TLS states.
2) Dips in resonance-peak structure: these occur when some of
the oscillation frequencies are integer multiples of each other.
3) Asymmetry between the two main peaks: lower-frequency
peak has a larger contribution from the two-photon process.
With decoherence:
Solid line: no decoherence.
G1 
Green: analytic
expression in
traditional weakcoupling
approximation
l2 sin 2  q sin 2 TLS
2G2TLS
1
G2  G1
2
Perturbation theory in
quantum picture
l sin  q sin TLS
2
G1 
G2 
2
Blue: analytic
expression in weakcoupling limit of
quantum picture
G1
Largest G
2
2(G2TLS  G2q  G1q )
Weak coupling
l2 sin 2  q sin 2 TLS
4(G
TLS
2
Red: numerical
simulation of
quantum picture
G )
q
2
Strong coupling
l (coupling strength)
The two approaches differ when the condition:
G
TLS
 G
q
is not satisfied.
Dashed line: strong TLS decoherence 
TLS becomes weakly coupled.
Dotted line: moderate decoherence on both. 
Narrow features are suppressed.
Supported in part by the Frontier Research System at RIKEN, JSPS, the US AFOSR, ARDA,
NSA, and the US National Science Foundation.
Dash-dotted line: strong qubit decoherence. 
Qubit cannot perform Rabi oscillations.
cond-mat/0512677 and cond-mat/0602577.
Corresponding author: Sahel Ashhab, [email protected]