Efficient and perfect state transfer in quantum chains

We present a communication protocol for chains of permanently coupled qubits which achieves perfect quantum state transfer and which is efficient with respect to the number of chains employed in the scheme. The system consists of M uncoupled identical quantum chains. Local control (gates, measurements) is only allowed at the sending/receiving end of the chains. Under a quite general hypothesis on the interaction Hamiltonian of the qubits, a theorem can be proved which shows that the receiver is able to asymptotically recover the messages by repetitive monitoring of his qubits. We show how two parallel Heisenberg spin chains can be used as quantum wires. Perfect state transfer with a probability of failure lower than P in a Heisenberg chain of N spin-1/2 particles can be achieved in a time scale of the order of 0-33 (h) over bar /JN(1.7)vertical bar lnP vertical bar.