Optimal suppression of defect generation during a passage across a quantum critical point

The dynamics of quantum phase transitions are inevitably accompanied by the formation of defects when crossing a quantum critical point. For a generic class of quantum critical systems, we solve the problem of minimizing the production of defects through the use of a gradient-based deterministic optimal control algorithm. By considering a finite-size quantum Ising model with a tunable global transverse field, we show that an optimal power-law quench of the transverse field across the Ising critical point works well at minimizing the number of defects, in spite of being drawn from a subset of quench profiles. These power-law quenches are shown to be inherently robust against noise. The optimized defect density exhibits a transition at a critical ratio of the quench duration to the system size, which we argue coincides with the intrinsic speed limit for quantum evolution.