A connection between optimal control theory and adiabatic passage techniques in quantum systems

This work explores the relationship between optimal control theory and adiabatic passage techniques in quantum systems. The study is based on a geometric analysis of the Hamiltonian dynamics constructed from the Pontryagin Maximum Principle. In a three-level quantum system, we show that the Stimulated Raman Adiabatic Passage technique can be associated to a peculiar Hamiltonian singularity. One deduces that the adiabatic pulse is solution of the optimal control problem only for a specific cost functional. This analysis is extended to the case of a four-level quantum system.