Quantum control of the environment in open quantum systems enables rapid qubit reset

Qubit reset is crucial in quantum technology and is typically achieved by coupling the qubit to a dissipative environment. However, the achievable speed and fidelity are limited by qubit-environment entanglement. We use exact tensor-network simulations and a time-dependent variational approach to investigate these effects for transmon qubits with a time-dependent system-environment coupling. We show that they are due to the formation of a polaron state and how this can be reversed using a time-dependent coupling. Coupling protocols are identified which achieve reset with an excited-state population of 10^-6 in 10 ns. A related paper [C. Ortega-Taberner, E. O'Neill and P. R. Eastham, arXiv:XXXX.XXXX] addresses the complementary case of control via a time-dependent Hamiltonian. Our work shows how the dynamics of the environment of an open quantum system can be controlled to design effective quantum processes in non-Markovian systems.