Many of the predominantly experimental groups in our consortium also have excellent track records in theoretical work. In addition we have two contractors (from the University of Ulm and from the Slovak Academy of Sciences) who are solely involved in theoretical work. These groups will provide general theoretical support to the experimental partners but they will also pursue projects that will benefit our consortium as a whole.
One specific theoretical goal is to design a programmable quantum processor, which is able to control the dynamics of a quantum system based on the program encoded in a state of quantum program register. Generally speaking, we want to design a programmable quantum device (quantum processor), which would allow us to simulate completely positive maps (i.e. quantum mechanical process) on quantum systems.
The main focus of the other theory contractor (University of Ulm) will be the development of methods of coherent control of single trapped atoms in cavity fields. We intend to investigate the coupling between the quantised field and the atomic motion in the presence of an external trapping potential and a drive. In particular, we shall analyse the possibility of engineering specific wave packets of the atomic motion via the quantised cavity field. This will guide us towards a controlled processing of quantum information with the help of matter waves. In order to understand the fundamental properties of such a system it will be equally important to look at the decoherence of the coupled dynamics between atomic motion and cavity field in the presence of driving fields. We will approach these problems using open system dynamics and quantum-trajectories techniques.
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