Comparing and correcting robustness metrics for quantum optimal control

• URL: http://arxiv.org/abs/2602.10349v1
• Date: Tue, 10 Feb 2026 22:44:16 GMT
• Title: Comparing and correcting robustness metrics for quantum optimal control
• Authors: Andrew T. Kamen, Samuel Fine, Bikrant Bhattacharyya, Frederic T. Chong, Andy J. Goldschmidt,
• Abstract summary: We present a novel, systematic study demonstrating important numerical differences between adjoint end-point and toggling-frame approaches.<n>We also introduce a critical discretization correction to the widely-used robustness-frame estimator.<n>Our approach uniquely handles control and fidelity constraints while cleanly isolating robustness for dedicated optimization.
• Score: 1.6927349660459692
• License: http://arxiv.org/licenses/nonexclusive-distrib/1.0/
• Abstract: Control pulses that nominally optimize fidelity are sensitive to routine hardware drift and modeling errors. Robust quantum optimal control seeks error-insensitive control pulses that maintain fidelity thresholds and obey hardware constraints. Distinct numerical approximations to the first-order error susceptibility include adjoint end-point and toggling-frame approaches. Although theoretically equivalent, we provide a novel, systematic study demonstrating important numerical differences between these two approaches. We also introduce a critical discretization correction to the widely-used toggling-frame robustness estimator, measurably improving its estimate of first-order error susceptibility. We accomplish our study by positioning robustness as a first-class objective within direct, constrained optimal control. Our approach uniquely handles control and fidelity constraints while cleanly isolating robustness for dedicated optimization. In both single- and two-qubit examples under realistic constraints, our approach provides an analytic edge for obtaining precise, physics-informed robustness.

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