Mapping the optimal route between two quantum states

Understand

A central feature of quantum mechanics is that a measurement is intrinsically probabilistic.

• As a result, continuously monitoring a quantum system will randomly perturb its natural unitary evolution.
• The ability to control a quantum system in the presence of these fluctuations is of increasing importance in quantum information processing and finds application in fields ranging from nuclear magnetic resonance to chemical synthesis.
• A detailed understanding of this stochastic evolution is essential for the development of optimized control methods.