Optimal control of complex atomic quantum systems

Understand

Quantum technologies will ultimately require manipulating many-body quantum systems with high precision.

• Cold atom experiments represent a stepping stone in that direction: a high degree of control has been achieved on systems of increasing complexity, however, this control is still sub-optimal.
• Optimal control theory is the ideal candidate to bridge the gap between early stage and optimal experimental protocols, particularly since it was extended to encompass many-body quantum dynamics.
• Here, we experimentally demonstrate optimal control applied to two dynamical processes subject to interactions: the coherent manipulation of motional states of an atomic Bose-Einstein condensate and the crossing of a quantum phase transition in small systems of cold atoms in optical lattices.