The manipulation of energy at the microscopic level, known as quantum transport, is a cornerstone of both fundamental physics and the ongoing development of quantum technologies. Due to Climate Change, the design of more efficient devices is crucial to reduce the carbon footprint. Being able to redirect and control energy fluxes paves the way to the development of new technological advances such as more efficient chips and solar cells.
Historically, discovering the optimal way to route this energy through complex quantum networks has presented a monumental computational challenge. Previous optimization methods relied heavily on extensive simulations or genetic algorithms, requiring the exhaustive analysis of thousands of network configurations. This procedure has an enormous computational cost itself, and it is only doable for very specific systems.
Recently, a breakthrough approach has fundamentally altered this landscape. Researchers from the University of Granada and the Universidad Carlos III of Madrid have introduced a highly efficient mathematical framework to tackle this bottleneck. Their study, published in Physical Review E, adapts a technique called the “Doob transform” that automatically transforms low-performance systems into high-efficient ones.
Rather than testing thousands of trial-and-error variations, this new method requires only a single mathematical operation to unlock the optimal network design. It bascially takes rare, highly efficient energy transfers and forces them to become the system’s typical behavior. During numerical explorations, every single transformed system exhibited enhanced energy transport.
Beyond saving supercomputer time, this development has profound practical implications for engineering. The researchers discovered that optimally transformed networks naturally align into a structural property called “centrosymmetry”. This provides a clear, physical blueprint for engineers looking to design inherently optimal systems from scratch. Ultimately, this mathematical shortcut drastically accelerates the transition from theoretical quantum mechanics to the tangible production of sustainable, ultra-efficient energy-harvesting technologies and advanced computing architectures.
Reference: Optimizing quantum transport via the quantum Doob transform. D Esteve, C Pérez-Espigares, R Gutiérrez, D Manzano. Physical Review E 114 (3), L032104 (2026).
Professor of Physics at the University of Granada, where he leads the Thermodynamics and Quantum Computing Group (QTCG). His research explores the fundamental dynamics of open quantum systems, quantum thermodynamics, and quantum transport.