Quantum Information and Computation Seminar: Environmentally Assisted Coherence: One Photon Phase Control

Colloquium: Departmental | October 16 | 2-3 p.m. | Bechtel Engineering Center, Sibley Auditorium

Speaker/Performer: Paul Brumer, University of Toronto

Sponsor: Berkeley Quantum Information & Computation Center

The quantum control of atomic and molecular processes often relies on coherence effects that are washed out by decoherence when the system is in contact with an environment. Here we introduce and discuss a situation where the opposite is the case. Specifically, we describe experimental and theoretical studies of one-photon-phase control, i.e. the control of molecular dynamics through changes in the phases of weak lasers incident on a system. We demonstrate the origin of one-photon-phase control in system-bath entanglement that creates an unusual ``stationary coherence", resulting in environmentally-assisted quantum control. Results based on a formal influence functional approach, and on MCDTH computations
on retinal will be described.

Event Contact: shabani@berkeley.edu