Optimal control of open quantum systems: cooperative effects of driving and dissipation

Abstract: We investigate the optimal control of open quantum systems, in particular, the mutual influence of driving and dissipation. A stochastic approach to open-system control is developed, using a generalized version of Krotov's iterative algorithm, with no need for Markovian or rotating-wave approximations. The application to a harmonic degree of freedom reveals cooperative effects of driving and dissipation that a standard Markovian treatment cannot capture. Remarkably, control can modify the open-system dynamics to the point where the entropy change turns negative, thus achieving cooling of translational motion without any reliance on internal degrees of freedom.