Introduction from Quantum Physics to Quantum Technology

G. Alber

Alto Osada, Rekishu Yamazaki, Atsushi Noguchi

David S. Simon

Timothy P. Spiller

The marriage of quantum physics and information technology has the potential to generate radically new information processing devices. Examples are quantum cryptosystems, which provide guaranteed secure communication, and quantum computers, which manipulate data quantum mechanically and could thus solve some problems currently intractable to conventional (classical) computation. This introductory chapter serves two purposes. Firstly, I discuss some of the basic aspects of quantum physics which underpin quantum information technology (QIT). These will be used (and in somes cases further expanded upon) in subsequent chapters. Secondly, and as a lead into the whole book, I outline some of the ideas of QIT and its possible uses. To appear as Chapter 1 of Introduction to Quantum Computation and Information, eds. H.-K. Lo, S. Popescu and T. P. Spiller, (World Scientific Press 1998), http://www.wspc.com.sg/. 1 1 Introduction Information technology (IT) can feed off quantum physic...

Holly K. Cummins, Jonathan A. Jones

In this article we consider nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) as an example of a quantum technology; we consider in particular detail the implementation of quantum computers using NMR. We begin by outlining the physical principles underlying NMR, and give an introduction to the quantum mechanics involved. We next discuss the general characteristics of quantum technologies and the ways and extent to which these characteristics are expressed in NMR. We then give an introduction to the subject of quantum computation and its implementation using NMR. Finally, we describe some spectroscopy techniques which also exploit the quantum nature of NMR.

A.P. French, Edwin F. Taylor

Provides comprehensive coverage of all the fundamentals of quantum physics. Full mathematical treatments are given. Uses examples from different areas of physics to demonstrate how theories work in practice. Text derived from lectures delivered at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.