Controlled quantum state transfer in $XX$ spin chains at the Quantum Speed Limit

Abstract: The Quantum Speed Limit can be found in many different situations, in particular in the propagation of information through quantum spin chains. In homogeneous chains it implies that taking information from one extreme of the chain to the other will take a time $O(N/2)$, where $N$ is the chain length. Using Optimal Control Theory we design control pulses that achieve near perfect population transfer between the extremes of the chain at times on the order of $N/2$, or larger, depending on which features of the transfer process are to be studied. Our results show that the control pulses that govern the dynamical behaviour of chains with different lengths are closely related, that larger control times imply more complicated control pulses than those found at times on the order of $N/2$ and also larger driving energies. The pulses were constructed for control schemes involving one or two actuators in chains with exchange couplings without static disorder. Our results also show that the two actuator scheme is considerably more robust against the presence of static disorder than the scheme that uses just a single one.