Quantum information and decoherence

• Grant number: 05/04471-1
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants
• Start date: March 01, 2007
• End date: February 29, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Physics - General Physics
• Principal Investigator: Roberto Menezes Serra
• Grantee: Roberto Menezes Serra
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas (CCNH). Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC). Ministério da Educação (Brasil). Santo André , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Alexandre Cacheffo ; Eduardo Inacio Duzzioni
• Associated scholarship(s): 11/02520-6 - Nonclassical correlation dynamics in quantum information, BP.PD

Abstract

The Quantum Information Theory (QIT) is a new field of knowledge, this research area has attracted much interest of the international scientific community. This interest is due to the possibility that QIT presents to process and to transfer information, in a more efficient way than the conventional systems. There is a conjecture in the international community that advances in QIT will be crucial for the competitiveness of any nation in information technology. In fact, nowadays, in the north hemisphere there are companies selling systems for quantum communication and entanglement was used, already, in an official money transfer in Vienna, Austria in 2004. Although several physical systems are under investigation, as potential candidates for build quantum processors and quantum networks to transmit information, the practical realization of such proposals are limited by the decoherence phenomenon. Such a phenomenon arising due to the unavoidable coupling of the quantum system with the environment or due to intrinsic fluctuations in the control parameters of the system. Considering the fast experimental development in the control of individual quantum systems we will mainly be interested in following lines of research: i) schemes for implementation of topological quantum computation and its fault tolerance; ii) alternative ways to quantify (analytically) quantum entanglement and distinguish between quantum and classical correlation, besides investigate the relations between entanglement and thermodynamics in solid state systems; iii) mechanisms for the control and optimization of information transfer in quantum networks. In addition to theses main topics we will be involved with other correlated topics. In our theoretical research we will consider the realistic situation where noise (decoherence) will be present. We will study possible implementations for the ideas related to the above topics in several physical systems. It is worthwhile to mention, that during the execution of the project we will collaborate with Brazilian experimental groups and international theoreticians. The execution of this project must contribute to the consolidation of the research area of Quantum Information in the Physics Institute of USP, as well as in the São Paulo State. (AU)