Quantum Control of Many-body Localized States

Abstract: We propose and analyze a new approach to the coherent control and manipulation of quantum degrees of freedom in disordered, interacting systems in the many-body localized phase. Our approach leverages a number of unique features of many-body localization: a lack of thermalization, a locally gapped spectrum, and slow dephasing. Using the technique of quantum phase estimation, we demonstrate a protocol that enables the local preparation of a many-body system into an effective eigenstate. This leads to the ability to encode information and control interactions without full microscopic knowledge of the underlying Hamiltonian. Finally, we analyze the effects of weak coupling to an external bath and provide an estimate for the fidelity of our protocol.