Module 5NE: Quantum computing (ELEC5210)

The aim of the module is to give students an appreciation of developments in the field that can broadly be described as using quantum systems to perform computation. This is wider than the field commonly referred to as 'quantum computing' as it encompasses quantum and optical systems as routes to performing classical logic as well.

On completion of this module, students will be able to:

• Appreciate the basic principles of quantum mechanics.
• Understand how these can be used to perform computation.
• Understand the theoretical advantages of quantum computers.
• Understand quantum communications and quantum teleportation.
• Appreciate how quantum computers may be built from nanoscale systems.

Outline syllabus

• Quantum implications of classical logic.
• Cellular automata, realisation with quantum dots, constructing logic circuits.
• Optical computing: all optical logic gates, physical realisation of all optical integrated circuits.
• Quantum computing: quantum states and amplitudes, superposition states, measurement and collapse of the wavefunction, reversible logic gates, universality of controlled-NOT gate, qubits, 1 qubit rotations, requirements for a quantum computer, decoherence, Shor's algorithm, discrete Fourier Transform, factorisation of integers, quantum logic gates, error correction, two and three qubit logic gates, one qubit rotation, physical realisation of quantum computers, control-not gate in an ion trap, linear chains of nuclear spins, solid state implementations of qubits using quantum dots and resonant optical cavities.
• Quantum communications: entanglement, creation of entangled photon pairs, quantum teleportation, quantum key distribution, single photon detectors, single photon sources.

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