Quantum Information Theory
Note: The first lecture will take place on April 17! We will meet to discuss some organizational matters for the course.
In this course, we will study the basic concepts and theoretical tools in quantum information processing. The students will understand the concept of quantum algorithms and quantum circuits, learn to program a quantum computer, understand the functioning of important quantum algorithms, learn how to describe quantum channels and the principles of quantum error correction and entanglement theory. They will understand the most advanced concepts of physical realizations of quantum computers.
Outline.
The contents of the course are initially fixed as follows, although they are subject to modification depending on the interest of the students:
1. Basic notions on the universal quantum computer: Quantum gates, quantum circuits, universality and measurements.
2. Quantum algorithms: Deutsch-Jozsa, Shor and Grover.
3. Quantum communication: No-cloning theorem, quantum teleportation and superdense coding. Quantum key distribution.
4. Physical realizations: DiVincenzo criteria, Cirac Zoller quantum computer, Circuit QED.
5. Decoherence and open quantum systems.
6. Quantum error correction. Fault tolerant quantum computing.
7. Alternative quantum computing models: Adiabatic quantum computation.
8. Introduction to the theory of entanglement: Definition, criteria and measurement of entanglement, multipartite entanglement.
Prerequisites.
The students should have taken the basic modules on Analysis and Linear Algebra. Probability theory is also desirable. No previous knowledge on quantum mechanics is assumed.
Literature.
- Lecture notes. Updated every week. Link
- Nielsen and Chuang, Quantum Computation and Quantum Information. Link
- de Wolf, Quantum Computing: Lecture Notes. Link
- Preskill, Quantum Computation. Lecture Notes. Link
Evaluation.
There will be weekly assignments of exercises to be solved every Monday during the exercises sessions. Part of these exercises will be graded and will count for the final grade. Moreover, active participation in those sessions will also be essential for the final grade. Additionally, there will be an oral exam at the end of the course, consisting on the presentation of a short project on a specific topic of interest for each student.