Provided by: Marten Teitsma
Number of ECTS: 8
Number of lectures/workshops: 14 lectures of each 2 x 45 minutes
Date available: now
Competence framework topics:
5 Quantum computing and simulation
5.1 Quantum gates
5.3 Quantum algorithms and computing techniques
5.4 Quantum error correction
Short description of the content: This is Ronald de Wolf’s course. The course is taught from a mathematical and theoretical computer science perspective but should be accessible for physicists as well. This is a theory course; no programming is involved. The course consists of 2 x 45 minutes or video lectures, extensive lecture notes. At the UvA this is complemented by 45 minutes assisted exercise session. This course will complement Maris Ozols and Michael Walter’s course on Quantum Information Theory. Neither course requires the other, but students interested in writing a thesis in quantum computation/information are encouraged to follow both.
Extended description of the content: Today’s computers—both in theory (Turing machines) and practice (PCs and smart phones) —are based on classical physics. However, modern quantum physics tells us that the world behaves quite differently. A quantum system can be in a superposition of many different states at the same time and can exhibit interference effects during the course of its evolution. Moreover, spatially separated quantum systems may be entangled with each other and operations may have “non-local” effects because of this. Quantum computation is the field that investigates the computational power and other properties of computers based on quantum-mechanical principles. Its main building block is the qubit which, unlike classical bits, can take both values 0 and 1 at the same time, and hence affords a certain kind of parallelism. The laws of quantum mechanics constrain how we can perform computational operations on these qubits, and thus determine how efficiently we can solve a certain computational problem. Quantum computers generalize classical ones and hence are at least as efficient. However, the real aim is to find computational problems where a quantum computer is much more efficient than classical computers. For example, Peter Shor in 1994 found a quantum algorithm that can efficiently factor large integers into their prime factors. This problem is generally believed to take exponential time on even the best classical computers, and its assumed hardness forms the basis of much of modern cryptography (particularly the widespread RSA system). Shor’s algorithm breaks all such cryptography. A second important quantum algorithm is Grover’s search algorithm, which searches through an unordered search space quadratically faster than is possible classically. In addition to such algorithms, there is a plethora of other applications: quantum cryptography, quantum communication, simulation of physical systems, and many others.
The course is taught from a mathematical and theoretical computer science perspective but should be accessible for physicists as well. This is a theory course; no programming is involved.
Maximum number of student participants:
Maximum number of universities participating:
Pre-requisites for the course:
Material available:
• Video
• Lecture notes
• Exercises
Need for Teaching Assistance: For the 45 minutes exercise session a Teaching Assistant is very helpful
Other remarks concerning this course:
Known to be available at:
University of AmsterdamPrevious instances:
Quantum ComputingFollowup instances:
Signing up: Contact your local QTOM representative for instructions to sign up. The list of local QTOM representatives is maintained on the student area page.