Optimal population transfer using the adiabatic rapid passage in the presence of drive-induced dissipation

Abstract: Adiabatic rapid passage (ARP) is extensively used to achieve efficient transfer or inversion of populations in quantum systems. Landau and Zener accurately estimated the transfer probability of ARP for a closed system and showed that this probability improved with higher drive amplitude. Recently, we have found that in open quantum systems, applying a strong drive can give rise to significant drive-induced dissipation (DID). Here, we investigate the effect of DID on the performance of ARP that is implemented using a linearly chirped pulse on a two-level system. From the Landau-Zener formula, the population transfer was known to be enhanced with increasing drive amplitude. However, here we show that beyond a threshold value of the drive amplitude, the transfer probability is reduced because of the detrimental effect of DID. We show that the competition between the two processes results in an optimal behavior of the population transfer. We also propose a phenomenological model that helps explain such nonmonotonic behavior of the transfer. Using this model, we estimate the optimum time at which the maximum population transfer occurs. We extend the analysis for rectangular as well as Gaussian pulse profiles and conclude that a Gaussian pulse outperforms a rectangular pulse.