This course introduces students to qubits or two-state quantum systems, the basic unit of information storage in a quantum computer. Physical realizations of qubits are discussed and the mathematical formalism needed to perform calculations with systems of qubits is developed. The entanglement of qubits is introduced, and Bell’s theorem is proved and discussed. The basic ideas of quantum gates and circuits are introduced and developed. Among the applications discussed are quantum cloning, quantum cryptography and teleportation. Additional special topics will be introduced on a rotating basis to cover aspects of the field in which new developments occur.
This course will be offered in academic years ending in even numbers.
Students should have mathematical preparation in ordinary differential equations (MA 2051), linear algebra (MA 2071), vector and tensor analysis (MA 2251), and complex variables (MA 4291). In addition, they should have taken an undergraduate course in quantum mechanics, at the level of PH 3401 at WPI.