Enhancing the capability of controlling quantum systems via ancillary systems

Abstract

This paper explores the potential of controlling quantum systems by introducing ancillary systems and then performing unitary operation on the resulting composite systems. It generalizes the concept of pure state controllability for quantum systems and establishes the link between the operator controllability of the composite system and the generalized pure state controllability of its subsystem. It is constructively demonstrated that if a composite quantum system can be transferred between any pair of orthonormal pure vectors, then its subsystem is generalized pure-state controllable. Furthermore, the unitary operation and the coherent control can be concretely given to transfer the system from an initial state to the target state. Therefore, these properties may be potentially applied in quantum information, such as manipulating multiple quantum bits and creating entangled pure states. A concrete example has been given to illustrate that a maximally entangled pure state of a quantum system can be generated by introducing an ancillary system and performing open-loop coherent control on the resulting composite system.