arXiv:1212.6343International audienceQuantum adiabatic processes--that keep constant the populations in the instantaneous eigenbasis of a time-dependent Hamiltonian--are very useful to prepare and manipulate states, but take typically a long time. This is often problematic because decoherence and noise may spoil the desired final state, or because some applications require many repetitions. "Shortcuts to adiabaticity" are alternative fast processes which reproduce the same final populations, or even the same final state, as the adiabatic process in a finite, shorter time. Since adiabatic processes are ubiquitous, the shortcuts span a broad range of applications in atomic, molecular, and optical physics, such as fast transport of ions or neutral atoms, internal population control, and state preparation (for nuclear magnetic resonance or quantum information), cold atom expansions and other manipulations, cooling cycles, wavepacket splitting, and many-body state engineering or correlations microscopy. Shortcuts are also relevant to clarify fundamental questions such as a precise quantification of the third principle of thermodynamics and quantum speed limits. We review different theoretical techniques proposed to engineer the shortcuts, the experimental results, and the prospects

We use the dynamical invariants associated with the Hamiltonian of an atom in a one dimensional moving trap to inverse engineer the trap motion and perform fast atomic transport without final vibrational heating. The atom is driven non-adiabatically through a shortcut to the result of adiabatic, slow trap motion. For harmonic potentials this only requires designing appropriate trap trajectories, whereas perfect transport in anharmonic traps may be achieved by applying an extra field to compensate the forces in the rest frame of the trap. The results can be extended to atom stopping or launching. The limitations due to geometrical constraints, energies and accelerations involved are analyzed, as well as the relation to previous approaches (based on classical trajectories or "fast-forward" and "bang-bang" methods) which can be integrated in the invariant-based framework.

Type of publicationArticle (peer-reviewed) A Schrödinger equation may be unitarily transformed into dynamical equations in different interaction pictures which describe a common physical process, i.e., the same underlying interactions and dynamics. In contrast to this standard scenario, other relations are also possible, such as a common interactionpicture dynamical equation corresponding to several Schrödinger equations that represent different physical processes. This may enable us to design alternative and feasible experimental routes for operations that are a priori difficult or impossible to perform. The power of this concept is exemplified by engineering Hamiltonians that improve the performance or make realizable several shortcuts to adiabaticity.

Abstract. Two methods to change a quantum harmonic oscillator frequency without transitions in a finite time are described and compared. The first method, a transitionless-tracking algorithm, makes use of a generalized harmonic oscillator and a non-local potential. The second method, based on engineering an invariant of motion, only modifies the harmonic frequency in time, keeping the potential local at all times.

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Body regeneration through formation of new organs is a major question in developmental biology. We investigated de novo root formation using whole leaves of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Our results show that local cytokinin biosynthesis and auxin biosynthesis in the leaf blade followed by auxin long-distance transport to the petiole leads to proliferation of J0121-marked xylem-associated tissues and others through signaling of INDOLE-3-ACETIC ACID INDUCIBLE28 (IAA28), CRANE (IAA18), WOODEN LEG, and ARABIDOPSIS RESPONSE REGULATORS1 (ARR1), ARR10, and ARR12. Vasculature proliferation also involves the cell cycle regulator KIP-RELATED PROTEIN2 and ABERRANT LATERAL ROOT FORMATION4, resulting in a mass of cells with rooting competence that resembles callus formation. Endogenous callus formation precedes specification of postembryonic root founder cells, from which roots are initiated through the activity of SHORT-ROOT, PLETHORA1 (PLT1), and PLT2. Primordia initiation is blocked in shr plt1 plt2 mutant. Stem cell regulators SCHIZORIZA, JACKDAW, BLUEJAY, and SCARECROW also participate in root initiation and are required to pattern the new organ, as mutants show disorganized and reduced number of layers and tissue initials resulting in reduced rooting. Our work provides an organ regeneration model through de novo root formation, stating key stages and the primary pathways involved.Plants have striking regeneration capacities, and can produce new organs from postembryonic tissues (Hartmann et al., 2010;Chen et al., 2014;Liu et al., 2014) as well as reconstitute damaged organs upon wounding (Xu et al., 2006;Heyman et al., 2013; PerianezRodriguez et al., 2014;Melnyk et al., 2015;Efroni et al., 2016). Intriguingly, root regeneration upon stem cell damage recruits embryonic pathways (Hayashi et al., 2006;Efroni et al., 2016), whereas in contrast, postembryonic formation of whole new organs, such as lateral roots, appears to use specific postembryonic pathways (Lavenus et al., 2013).Cross talk between auxin and cytokinin signaling is required for many aspects of plant development and regeneration (El-Showk et al., 2013), although how their synergistic interaction is implemented at the molecular level has not been clarified (Skoog and Miller, 1957;Chandler and Werr, 2015). Exogenous in vitro supplementation of these two hormones results in continuous cell proliferation, to form a characteristic structure termed "callus". Callus emerges as a common regenerative mechanism for almost all plant organs through in vitro culture (Atta et al., 2009;Sugimoto et al., 2010). There is increasing evidence that callus formation requires hormone-mediated activation of a lateral and meristematic root development program in pericycle-like cells defined by expression of the J0121 marker 1 This work was supported by grants from Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO) of Spain, the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and FP7 Funds of the European Commission, BFU2013-41160-P, BFU2016-80315-P, and PCIG11-GA-2012-322082 to M.A....

Adiabatic processes driven by non-Hermitian, time-dependent Hamiltonians may be sped up by generalizing inverse engineering techniques based on Berry's transitionless driving algorithm or on dynamical invariants. We work out the basic theory and examples described by two-level Hamiltonians: the acceleration of rapid adiabatic passage with a decaying excited level and of the dynamics of a classical particle on an expanding harmonic oscillator

We generalize the concept of population for non-Hermitian systems in different ways and identify the one best suited to characterize adiabaticity. An approximate adiabaticity criterion consistent with this choice is also worked out. Examples are provided for different processes involving two-level atoms with decay