Grant: Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Quantum mechanics offers the possibility of developing novel information processing protocols that could revolutionize computing and communication. Algorithms based on quantum mechanical laws can already perform certain tasks dramatically faster than our fastest computers, and protocols such as teleportation and quantum cryptography can transform our secure communication capabilities. In order to build large-scale quantum information processing devices, it is necessary to accurately prepare, manipulate and measure many-body quantum systems. Much progress has been made in demonstrating quantum control and information processing on a small scale but the challenge grows with the size of the system and the characterization and efficient control of multipartite quantum systems remains an interesting open question. These multipartite systems can exhibit powerful non-classical correlations in the quantum regime, and nonlinear chaotic behaviour at the classical level. The objectives of this research program are to investigate, characterize and control multipartite quantum interactions, develop and evaluate robust quantum control techniques, and design efficient new information processing and communication protocols. The research will build on my successful research program in quantum information and chaos and will explore both the dynamics and the states of multipartite systems. We plan to model realistic physical systems and explore chaos from the point of view of quantum information processing. We will develop a theoretical framework to understand how chaos impacts quantum correlations such as entanglement, discord, nonlocality and decoherence (entanglement with the environment), that are important for information processing. We will analyze the behaviour of coupled systems for quantum synchronization and communication, and develop models to study and implement measurement, feedback control, and error correction in quantum chaotic systems, which is relatively unexplored. We will build on our past studies of tripartite quantum correlations to analyze and characterize multipartite correlations, design robust preparation schemes for multipartite entanglement, and extend our previous protocols for quantum communication to design efficient, large-scale information processing applications. The research will involve both analytical and numerical techniques and will focus on realistic systems in order to drive future experiments. This program will not only help to develop tools for building future quantum technologies, but will also provide insight into long-standing, fundamental questions about the relationship between quantum and classical theory. Canadian researchers have already made important contributions to quantum information science. This research will train highly qualified personnel and strengthen Canada's role as a leader in the field.