Perfect state transfer over distance-regular spin networks

Christandl et al. have noted that the d-dimensional hypercube can be projected to a linear chain with d+1 sites so that, by considering fixed but different couplings between the qubits assigned to the sites, the perfect state transfer (PST) can be achieved over arbitrarily long distances in the chain [Phys. Rev. Lett. 92, 187902 (2004); Phys. Rev. A 71, 032312 (2005)]. In this work we consider distance-regular graphs as spin networks and note that any such network (not just the hypercube) can be projected to a linear chain and so can allow PST over long distances. We consider some particular spin Hamiltonians which are the extended version of those of Christandl et al. Then, by using techniques such as stratification of distance-regular graphs and spectral analysis methods, we give a procedure for finding a set of coupling constants in the Hamiltonians so that a particular state initially encoded on one site will evolve freely to the opposite site without any dynamical control, i.e., we show how to derive the parameters of the system so that PST can be achieved. It is seen that PST is only allowed in distance-regular spin networks for which, starting from an arbitrary vertex as referencemore » vertex (prepared in the initial state which we wish to transfer), the last stratum of the networks with respect to the reference state contains only one vertex; i.e., stratification of these networks plays an important role which determines in which kinds of networks and between which vertices of them, PST can be allowed. As examples, the cycle network with even number of vertices and d-dimensional hypercube are considered in details and the method is applied for some important distance-regular networks.« less