Yelin group
Harvard University, Cambridge, United States
- Tracked papers
- 10 (2003–2025)
Topics
The most frequent field-map topics among the PI' tracked papers.
- Molecules 4
- Rydberg atoms 2
- Many-body 2
- VQA & QAOA 2
- Adiabatic passage 2
- Cold atoms 2
Recent papers
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Universal Dynamics with Globally Controlled Analog Quantum Simulators
Abstract
Analog quantum simulators with global control fields have emerged as powerful platforms for exploring complex quantum phenomena. Despite these advances, a fundamental theoretical question remains unresolved: to what extent can such systems realize universal quantum dynamics under global control? Here we establish a necessary and sufficient condition for universal quantum computation using only global pulse control, proving that a broad class of analog quantum simulators is, in fact, universal. We further extend this framework to fermionic and bosonic systems, including modern platforms such as ultracold atoms in optical superlattices. Moreover, we observe that analog simulators driven by random global pulses exhibit information scrambling comparable to random unitary circuits. In a dual-species neutral-atom array setup, the measurement outcomes anti-concentrate on a $\log N$ timescale despite the presence of only temporal randomness, opening opportunities for efficient randomness generation. To bridge theoretical possibility with experimental reality, we introduce \emph{direct quantum optimal control}, a control framework that enables the synthesis of complex effective Hamiltonians while incorporating realistic hardware constraints. Using this approach, we experimentally engineer three-body interactions outside the blockade regime and demonstrate topological dynamics on a Rydberg-atom array. Experimental measurements reveal dynamical signatures of symmetry-protected-topological edge modes, confirming both the expressivity and feasibility of our method. Our work opens a new avenue for quantum simulation beyond native hardware Hamiltonians, enabling the engineering of effective multi-body interactions and advancing the frontier of quantum information processing with globally-controlled analog platforms.
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Ansatz-free Hamiltonian learning with Heisenberg-limited scaling
Abstract
Learning the unknown interactions that govern a quantum system is crucial for quantum information processing, device benchmarking, and quantum sensing. The problem, known as Hamiltonian learning, is well understood under the assumption that interactions are local, but this assumption may not hold for arbitrary Hamiltonians. Previous methods all require high-order inverse polynomial dependency with precision, unable to surpass the standard quantum limit and reach the gold standard Heisenberg-limited scaling. Whether Heisenberg-limited Hamiltonian learning is possible without prior assumptions about the interaction structures, a challenge we term \emph{ansatz-free Hamiltonian learning}, remains an open question. In this work, we present a quantum algorithm to learn arbitrary sparse Hamiltonians without any structure constraints using only black-box queries of the system's real-time evolution and minimal digital controls to attain Heisenberg-limited scaling in estimation error. Our method is also resilient to state-preparation-and-measurement errors, enhancing its practical feasibility. We numerically demonstrate our ansatz-free protocol for learning physical Hamiltonians and validating analog quantum simulations, benchmarking our performance against the state-of-the-art Heisenberg-limited learning approach. Moreover, we establish a fundamental trade-off between total evolution time and quantum control on learning arbitrary interactions, revealing the intrinsic interplay between controllability and total evolution time complexity for any learning algorithm. These results pave the way for further exploration into Heisenberg-limited Hamiltonian learning in complex quantum systems under minimal assumptions, potentially enabling new benchmarking and verification protocols.
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Shortcuts to Analog Preparation of Non-Equilibrium Quantum Lakes
Abstract
The dynamical preparation of exotic many-body quantum states is a persistent goal of analog quantum simulation, often limited by experimental coherence times. Recently, it was shown that fast, non-adiabatic Hamiltonian parameter sweeps can create finite-size ``lakes'' of quantum order in certain settings, independent of what is present in the ground state phase diagram. Here, we show that going further out of equilibrium via external driving can substantially accelerate the preparation of these quantum lakes. Concretely, when lakes can be prepared, existing counterdiabatic driving techniques -- originally designed to target the ground state -- instead naturally target the lakes state. We demonstrate this both for an illustrative single qutrit and a model of a $\mathbb{Z}_2$ Rydberg quantum spin liquid. In the latter case, we construct experimental drive sequences that accelerate preparation by almost an order of magnitude at fixed laser power. We conclude by using a Landau-Ginzburg model to provide a semi-classical picture for how our method accelerates state preparation.
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Circumventing Traps in Analog Quantum Machine Learning Algorithms Through Co-Design
Abstract
Quantum machine learning QML algorithms promise to deliver near-term, applicable quantum computation on noisy, intermediate-scale systems. While most of these algorithms leverage quantum circuits for generic applications, a recent set of proposals, called analog quantum machine learning (AQML) algorithms, breaks away from circuit-based abstractions and favors leveraging the natural dynamics of quantum systems for computation, promising to be noise-resilient and suited for specific applications such as quantum simulation. Recent AQML studies have called for determining best ansatz selection practices and whether AQML algorithms have trap-free landscapes based on theory from quantum optimal control (QOC). We address this call by systematically studying AQML landscapes on two models: those admitting black-boxed expressivity and those tailored to simulating a specific unitary evolution. Numerically, the first kind exhibits local traps in their landscapes, while the second kind is trap-free. However, both kinds violate QOC theory's key assumptions for guaranteeing trap-free landscapes. We propose a methodology to co-design AQML algorithms for unitary evolution simulation using the ansatz's Magnus expansion. We show favorable convergence in simulating dynamics with applications to metrology and quantum chemistry. We conclude that such co-design is necessary to ensure the applicability of AQML algorithms.
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Optical Control of a Single Nuclear Spin in the Solid State
Abstract
We demonstrate a novel method for coherent optical manipulation of individual nuclear spins in the solid state, mediated by the electronic states of a proximal quantum emitter. Specifically, using the nitrogen-vacancy (NV) color center in diamond, we demonstrate control of a proximal $^{14}$N nuclear spin via an all-optical Raman technique. We evaluate the extent to which the intrinsic physical properties of the NV center limit the performance of coherent control, and find that it is ultimately constrained by the relative rates of transverse hyperfine coupling and radiative decay in the NV center's excited state. Possible extensions and applications to other color centers are discussed.
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Rydberg atom mediated polar molecule interactions: a tool for molecular-state conditional quantum gates and individual addressability
Abstract
We study the possibility to use interaction between a polar molecule in the ground electronic and vibrational state and a Rydberg atom to construct two-qubit gates between molecular qubits and to coherently control molecular states. A polar molecule within the electron orbit in a Rydberg atom can either shift the Rydberg state, or form Rydberg molecule. Both the atomic shift and the Rydberg molecule states depend on the initial internal state of the polar molecule, resulting in molecular state dependent van der Waals or dipole-dipole interaction between Rydberg atoms. Rydberg atoms mediated interaction between polar molecules can be enhanced up to $10^{3}$ times. We describe how the coupling between a polar molecule and a Rydberg atom can be applied to coherent control of molecular states, specifically, to individual addressing of molecules in an optical lattice and non-destructive readout of molecular qubits.
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Single photon nonlinearities using arrays of cold polar molecules
Abstract
We model single photon nonlinearities resulting from the dipole-dipole interactions of cold polar molecules. We propose utilizing ``dark state polaritons'' to effectively couple photon and molecular states; through this framework, coherent control of the nonlinearity can be expressed and potentially used in an optical quantum computation architecture. Due to the dipole-dipole interaction the photons pick up a measurable nonlinear phase even in the single photon regime. A manifold of protected symmetric eigenstates is used as basis. Depending on the implementation, major sources of decoherence result from non-symmetric interactions and phonon dispersion. We discuss the strength of the nonlinearity per photon and the feasibility of this system.
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Efficient formation of ground state ultracold molecules via STIRAP from the continuum at a Feshbach resonance
Abstract
We develop a complete theoretical description of photoassociative Stimulated Raman Adiabatic Passage (STIRAP) near a Feshbach resonance in a thermal atomic gas. We show that it is possible to use low intensity laser pulses to directly excite the continuum at a Feshbach resonance and transfer nearly the entire atomic population to the lowest rovibrational level in the molecular ground state. In case of a broad resonance, commonly found in several diatomic alkali molecules, our model predicts a transfer efficiency $η$ up to 97% for a given atom pair, and up to 70% when averaged over an atomic ensemble. The laser intensities and pulse durations needed for optimal transfer are $10^2-10^3$ W/cm$^2$ and several $μ$s. Such efficiency compares to or surpasses currently available techniques for creating stable diatomic molecules, and the versatility of this approach simplifies its potential use for many molecular species.
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Formation of deeply bound molecules via chainwise adiabatic passage
Abstract
We suggest and analyze a novel technique for efficient and robust creation of dense ultracold molecular ensembles in their ground rovibrational state. In our approach a molecule is brought to the ground state through a series of intermediate vibrational states via a {\em multistate chainwise Stimulated Raman Adiabatic Passage} (c-STIRAP) technique. We study the influence of the intermediate states decay on the transfer process and suggest an approach that minimizes the population of these states, resulting in a maximal transfer efficiency. As an example, we analyze the formation of $^{87}$Rb$_{2}$ starting from an initial Feshbach molecular state and taking into account major decay mechanisms due to inelastic atom-molecule and molecule-molecule collisions. Numerical analysis suggests a transfer efficiency $>$ 90%, even in the presence of strong collisional relaxation as are present in a high density atomic gas.
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Time-frequency bases for BB84 protocol
Abstract
The bases traditionally used for quantum key distribution (QKD) are a 0 or pi/2 polarization or alternatively a 0 or pi/2 phase measured by interferometry. We introduce a new set of bases, i.e. pulses sent in either a frequency or time basis if the pulses are assumed to be transform limited. In addition it is discussed how this scheme can be easily generalized from a binary to an N-dimensional system, i.e., to ``quNdits.'' Optimal pulse distribution and the chances for eavesdropping are discussed.