Femtosecond lasers for quantum information technology.

The technological needs imposed by the exponential miniaturization trend of electronic components has drawn attention toward the development of functional molecular or even atomic devices. Quantum effects become increasingly dominant on the atomic length scale, and precise control of quantum systems arises as a fundamental requirement for successful novel nanoscale technology. Promising results have already been achieved in the fields of molecular electronics, 1 data storage, 2 and quantum information processing.3 Pioneered by the molecular physics community, optimal control4-7 has emerged as a highly promising tool. Strengthened by successful control experiments on chemical reactions8-11 and biological processes, 12 it has also entered the fields of quantum optics, 13 solid-state physics, 14 and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). 15