Center for Complex Quantum Systems

Klaus Mølmer investigates the controlled dynamics of small quantum systems, the effects of damping and dissipation, and conditional quantum dynamics subject to measurements.

The application of measurements and dissipation offers new avenues to control and probe quantum systems, and takes centerpiece in modern approaches to quantum information and quantum thermodynamics. In collaborations with Thomas Pohl and Georg Bruun as well as CCQ-affiliate Alberto Imparato, his team will advance and apply these concepts to large complex quantum systems within CCQ and conceive demonstration measurements in the CCQ experiments lead by Jan Arlt and Michael Drewsen. In particular, the group will contribute expertise on open quantum systems to address foundational questions such as: What are the limitations to controllability of a quantum system subject to measurements and unitary dynamics?  To what extent can probed quantum degrees of freedom become classical? How does the measurement induced breaking of symmetries and the quench of quantum states out of equilibrium inform about quantum phases of complex many-body systems? These efforts also aim at practical sensing schemes for complex quantum systems and external perturbations, and seek to find methods for protecting coherent dynamics against noise and errors.