Research Projects

In the recent years theoretical and experimental studies on technologies based on quantum systems have received significant attention from researchers both in India as well as abroad, owing to their immense fundamental and practical potential. On one hand, investigations of the operation of quantum technologies, such as quantum heat engines, quantum thermal transistors and quantum sensors, can enlighten us on the thermodynamics of quantum systems. On the other hand, knowledge about the thermodynamics, control and dynamics of quantum technologies can be expected to assist us in devising high-performing practical quantum technologies, which can be expected to cause a disruptive change in the currently existing technologies. Furthermore, most of the practical quantum technologies can be expected to involve multiple quantum systems, such as atoms, interacting with each other. In addition, recent advances in the field of many-body physics, such as control protocols applicable for open quantum systems and many-body quantum systems, or the relatively newly discovered non-equilibrium phase of matter known as time crystals (TCs), open new avenues of research in the field of many-body quantum technologies (Ref.: Nat. Commun., 15, 3170, 2024). For example, control in the form of STA has proven to be extremely successful for reducing excitations in closed quantum systems driven out of equilibrium (Phys. Rev. Lett., 109, 115703 (2012)), and also been used for significantly enhancing the output of finite time quantum thermal machines (Phys. Rev. E, 99, 032108, (2019)). However, dissipation can be an unavoidable phenomenon in most practical quantum technologies. Yet, the field of STA in quantum systems in the presence of dissipation, specially that of many-body open quantum systems, is still in its infancy, with only a handful of works on this topic done till now (Phys. Rev. B 111, 064301 (2025)). Consequently, developing STA protocols for various many-body open quantum systems, and applying these protocols for enhancing the performance of quantum thermal machines, can significantly contribute to the advancement of the field of high-performing quantum technologies. Alternatively, discrete (Phys. Rev. B 111, 125159 (2025)) and continuous TCs (Commun Phys 6, 304 (2023)) have been show be highly beneficial for the development of quantum enhanced sensors. However, TC phases can be fragile in the presence of strong dissipation. Consequently devising models of TCs, developing control protocols for stabilizing TCs against dissipation, and modelling quantum technologies using TCs, are highly relevant for the field of quantum technologies. In light of the above, in this project we plan to do the following: 1. Develop different protocols, including STA, for controlling the dynamics of many-body open quantum systems driven out of equilibrium, and characterize the cost of control by studying thermodynamic quantities, such as heat flow and work done due to the control fields. 2. Study the possibility of enhancing the output of finite-time quantum thermal machines through application different control protocols, including STA. 3. Study the dynamics and thermodynamics of discrete and continuous TCs, and develop ways to stabilize these TCs. 4. Develop quantum enhanced technologies, such as quantum sensors, using discrete and continuous TCs. 5. Propose methods of experimental realization of quantum control and quantum technologies, and work towards experimental realizations of the same, in collaboration with the honorary investigator Dr. Bodhaditya Santra, at IIT Delhi. We expect the results of this project will significantly contribute to the advancement of our knowledge of the dynamics and thermodynamics of many-body quantum systems driven out of equilibrium, which in turn will allow us to indigenously develop high-performing quantum technologies in the near future.