Spin Dynamics: A Paradigm for Time Optimal Control on Compact Lie Groups

The development of efficient time optimal control strategies for coupled spin systems plays a fundamental role in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. In particular, one of the major challenges lies in steering a given spin system to a maximum of its so-called transfer function. In this paper we study in detail these questions for a system of two weakly coupled spin-½ particles. First, we determine the set of maxima of the transfer...