Prof. Paul Brumer, Chemical Physics Theory Group, Dept of Chemistry, University of Toronto
http://www.chem.toronto.edu/ppl/faculty_profile.php?id=7
Environmentally Assisted Quantum Control of Molecular Processes (and possibly a little CMB)
Joint Quantum Sciences Seminar (in Chemistry) Talk
Abstract: Coherent control is an approach in which quantum interference effects are imprinted on a system in order to alter the outcome of a molecular process. However, such control is often inhibited by decoherence, a ubiquitous process in which the quantum characteristics of an open system are lost due to interaction with the surrounding environment. Interestingly, however, ``one-photon phase control" is a case where one can utilize the environment to assist in the quantum control of a system. We will introduce this topic and outline the physics that leads to an understanding of one-photon environmentally assisted control. An interesting link to ``canonical non-typicality" will be explained, and computations based on a master equation approach discussed. Further, if time permits, a proposal (admittedly unrelated) to explore an interesting feature of the CMB will be described.