Why yet another book on quantum information theory? Like many lecturers we began writing this text because none of the alternatives seemed quite right. This book is aimed squarely at undergraduate physics students who want a brief but reasonably thorough introduction to the exciting ideas of quantum information, including its applications in computation and communication. It is based on a short course we have taught to fourth-year students at Oxford University since 2004; for the most part it only assumes knowledge of elementary quantum mechanics and linear algebra, and so could even be taught to third-year undergraduates. A brief revision guide to quantum mechanics is provided as an appendix, which should cover any minor points that have been missed. As the title implies the book is structured in three parts, starting with the basics of quantum information and then applying this to quantum computation and quantum communication. Part I is self-contained, but contains only the barest hints of the exciting applications which attract many people to this field and so might prove unsatisfying on its own. Parts II and III draw heavily on Part I, but are largely independent of each other, and it would be perfectly possible to study only one of these two without the other. As this text is aimed at physics undergraduates, we believe that it is vital to cover experimental techniques, rather than merely presenting quantum information as a series of abstract quantum operations. We have, however, concentrated on the basic ideas underlying each approach, rather than worrying about particular experimental details.
Why yet another book on quantum information theory? Like many lecturers we began writing this text because none of the alternatives seemed quite right. This book is aimed squarely at undergraduate physics students who want a brief but reasonably thorough introduction to the exciting ideas of quantum information, including its applications in computation and communication. It is based on a short course we have taught to fourth-year students at Oxford University since 2004; for the most part it only assumes knowledge of elementary quantum mechanics and linear algebra, and so could even be taught to third-year undergraduates. A brief revision guide to quantum mechanics is provided as an appendix, which should cover any minor points that have been missed. As the title implies the book is structured in three parts, starting with the basics of quantum information and then applying this to quantum computation and quantum communication. Part I is self-contained, but contains only the barest hints of the exciting applications which attract many people to this field and so might prove unsatisfying on its own. Parts II and III draw heavily on Part I, but are largely independent of each other, and it would be perfectly possible to study only one of these two without the other. As this text is aimed at physics undergraduates, we believe that it is vital to cover experimental techniques, rather than merely presenting quantum information as a series of abstract quantum operations. We have, however, concentrated on the basic ideas underlying each approach, rather than worrying about particular experimental details.
Quantum physics allows entirely new forms of computation and cryptography, which could perform tasks currently impossible on classical devices, leading to an explosion of new algorithms, communications protocols and suggestions for physical implementations of all these ideas. As a result, quantum information has made the transition from an exotic research topic to part of mainstream undergraduate courses in physics. Based on years of teaching experience, this textbook builds from simple fundamental concepts to cover the essentials of the field. Aimed at physics undergraduate students with a basic background in quantum mechanics, it guides readers through theory and experiment, introducing all the central concepts without getting caught up in details. Worked examples and exercises make this useful as a self-study text for those who want a brief introduction before starting on more advanced books. Solutions are available online at www.cambridge.org/9781107014466.
This book introduces quantum computing and quantum communications at the undergraduate level for students in the physical sciences, engineering, and mathematics, assuming no prior knowledge of quantum mechanics. It is a self-contained guide assuming only that the reader is familiar with physics at the college level, calculus (up to and including ordinary differential equations), and some matrix algebra and complex numbers. The book brings the reader up to speed with fundamental concepts in quantum information processing and builds a working knowledge of basic quantum algorithms, quantum error correction, and quantum communication protocols. It covers various models of quantum computation and some of the most common physical realizations of qubits. There is a good number of practice problems and exercises that rely on computer programming with the Qiskit language. The book can be used to prepare students of physics, mathematics, electrical and computer engineering, computer science, optics and photonics, and mathematics for internships and research experiences in quantum information processing, both during and after their undergraduate studies. It also helps those who plan to apply to graduate school and do research in this area. Key Features: Self-contained coverage of quantum computing and quantum communications, from the motivations to the fundamentals and applications, including key concepts and contemporary topics. Contains practice problems and exercises, including some that require programming in Qiskit (the python-based, high-level language for programming quantum computers, adopted by nearly all quantum hardware providers and completely open source). Very light background knowledge assumed, making this book accessible to a variety of majors in the natural sciences, engineering, and mathematics.
Scope and aims of this book Quantum optics is one of the liveliest fields in physics at present. While it has been a dominant research field for at least two decades, with much graduate activity, in the past few years it has started to impact the undergraduate curriculum. This book developed from courses we have taught to final year undergraduates and beginning graduate students at Imperial College London and City University of New York. There are plenty of good research monographs in this field, but we felt that there was a genuine need for a straightforward account for senior undergraduates and beginning postgraduates, which stresses basic concepts. This is a field which attracts the brightest students at present, in part because of the extraordinary progress in the field (e.g. the implementation of teleportation, quantum cryptography, Schrödinger cat states, Bell violations of local realism and the like). We hope that this book provides an accessible introduction to this exciting subject. Our aim was to write an elementary book on the essentials of quantum optics directed to an audience of upper-level undergraduates, assumed to have suffered through a course in quantum mechanics, and for first-or second-year graduate students interested in eventually pursuing research in this area. The material we introduce is not simple, and will be a challenge for undergraduates and beginning graduate students, but we have tried to use the most straightforward approaches. Nevertheless, there are parts of the text that the reader will find more challenging than others.
Quantum information- the subject- is a new and exciting area of science, which brings together physics, information theory, computer science and mathematics. Quantum Information- the book- is based on two successful lecture courses given to advanced undergraduate and beginning postgraduate students in physics. The intention is to introduce readers at this level to the fundamental, but offer rather simple, ideas behind ground-breaking developments including quantum cryptography, teleportation and quantum computing. The text is necessarily rather mathematical in style, but the mathematics nowhere allowed priority over the key physical ideas. My aim throughout was to be as complete and self- contained but to avoid, as far as possible, lengthy and formal mathematical proofs. Each of the eight chapters is followed by about forty exercise problems with which the reader can test their understanding and hone their skills. These will also provide a valuable resource to tutors and lectures. To request a copy of the Solutions Manual, visit: http://global.oup.com/uk/academic/physics/admin/solutions
From the Publisher:
This book aims to provide a pedagogical introduction to the subjects of quantum information and computation. Topics include non-locality of quantum mechanics, quantum computation, quantum cryptography, quantum error correction, fault-tolerant quantum computation as well as some experimental aspects of quantum computation and quantum cryptography. Only knowledge of basic quantum mechanics is assumed. Whenever more advanced concepts and techniques are used, they are introduced carefully. This book is meant to be a self-contained overview. While basic concepts are discussed in detail, unnecessary technical details are excluded. It is well-suited for a wide audience ranging from physics graduate students to advanced researchers.
Quantum information and computation is a rapidly expanding and cross-disciplinary subject. This book, first published in 2006, gives a self-contained introduction to the field for physicists, mathematicians and computer scientists who want to know more about this exciting subject. After a step-by-step introduction to the quantum bit (qubit) and its main properties, the author presents the necessary background in quantum mechanics. The core of the subject, quantum computation, is illustrated by a detailed treatment of three quantum algorithms: Deutsch, Grover and Shor. The final chapters are devoted to the physical implementation of quantum computers, including the most recent aspects, such as superconducting qubits and quantum dots, and to a short account of quantum information. Written at a level suitable for undergraduates in physical sciences, no previous knowledge of quantum mechanics is assumed, and only elementary notions of physics are required. The book includes many short exercises, with solutions available to instructors through solutions@cambridge.org.