Exact solutions for time-optimal control of spin I=1 by NMR

Abstract

We consider the problem of time-optimal control of quadrupole nucleus with the spin I=1 by NMR. In contrast to the conventional methods based on selective pulses, the control is implemented using nonselective pulses separated by free evolution intervals. Using the Cartan decomposition, the system of equations is obtained for finding parameters of a control field. Partial time-optimal solutions for the important single-qutrit gates (selective rotations and quantum Fourier transform) are found. The strong dependence of minimum gate implementation times on global phase of the gate is observed. The analytical values of minimum times are consistent with the numerical data.