Cooperating or fighting with decoherence in the optimal control of quantum dynamics

This paper explores the use of laboratory closed-loop learning control toeither fight or cooperate with decoherence in the optimal manipulation ofquantum dynamics. Simulations of the processes are performed in a Lindbladformulation on multilevel quantum systems strongly interacting with theenvironment without spontaneous emission. When seeking a high control yield itis possible to find fields that successfully fight with decoherence whileattaining a good quality yield. When seeking modest control yields, fields canbe found which are optimally shaped to cooperate with decoherence and therebydrive the dynamics more efficiently. In the latter regime when the controlfield and the decoherence strength are both weak, a theoretical foundation isestablished to describe how they cooperate with each other. In general, theresults indicate that the population transfer objectives can be effectively metby appropriately either fighting or cooperating with decoherence