Physics 427 - Quantum Computation and Quantum Cryptography

Quantum Computation and Quantum Cryptography

Syllabus

Tentative schedule:

Week 1: Brief review of qunatum mechanics; qubits and their representations.

Week 2: The entanglement.

Week 3: Quantum logic gates.

Week 4: Quantum computing architectures.

Week 5: Quantum algorithms.

Week 6: Physical realizations of qubits.

Week 7: Quantum information.

Week 8: Cryptography, quantum key distribution; teleportation.

Week 9: Single photons, EPR pairs. Student talks.

Course description:

The Quantum Computation and Quantum Cryptography is a one-quarter course which focuses on the principles and ideas of the new paradigm for storing and manipulating information using quantum mechanical systems. Both the quantum computation and the quantum cryptography are important for national security. The former can be employed to time-efficiently break commonly used Internet public-key encryption methods, such as the RSA code. Quantum cryptography is a reality of today, with commercially-produced and marketed systems, while a quantum computer may well be a reality of tomorrow.

We start with a brief review of the relevant topics of quantum mechanics (superposition, eigenstates, unitary operators, measurement, two-level system, Rabi flopping) and information theory (data representation, bits, logic gates, Shannon theorem), followed by the description of qubits (quantum bits) and entanglement, the building blocks of a quantum computer. The Shor's factoring algorithm (period finding, quantum Fourier transform) and the Grover search algorithm (entangled data base, oracle) will be introduced. Physical implementations of qubits (NMR, trapped ions, neutral atoms, superconductors, quantum dots, linear optics) will also be described. Next, the principles of quantum communication (Alice and Bob, single photon sources and detectors, entangled photons, teleportation, dense coding) and quantum cryptography (BB88 protocol, decoy states, privacy purification, eavesdropper effects) will be outlined. The state of the art experiments, as well as the commercially available quantum cryptography systems (MagiQ, id Quantique) will be described.

Intended audience:

The course is aimed at upper-level undergraduate students in physics, engineering and math programs. Prerequisites: PHYS 225, PHYS 324 or 315, MATH 308 or the quivalent. Please contact me if you're missing any of the required course, but really-really want to take this one!

Method of evaluation:

The evaluation will be based on weekly homeworks (50% of the grade) and a final project (50% of the grade). For the final project, you will have a choice of either preparing a 10-minute PowerPoint presentation or writing a 5-page report on the topics of quantum computing and cryptography, especially the latest experimental results and developments.

Textbooks:

Required text: "A Short Introduction to Quantum Information and Quantum Computation" by M. Le Bellac (Cambridge University Press, 2006). For the more computer-science inclined types, suggested text is "Quantum Computer Science" by N. David Mermin (Cambridge University Press, 2007).



Home Syllabus	Physics 427A, Summer 2008 Quantum Computation and Quantum Cryptography Instructor: Boris Blinov Email: blinov (at) u.washington.edu Office: PAB B436 Office Hours: TBA Telephone: 221-3780 Quantum Computation and Quantum Cryptography Syllabus Tentative schedule: Week 1: Brief review of qunatum mechanics; qubits and their representations. Week 2: The entanglement. Week 3: Quantum logic gates. Week 4: Quantum computing architectures. Week 5: Quantum algorithms. Week 6: Physical realizations of qubits. Week 7: Quantum information. Week 8: Cryptography, quantum key distribution; teleportation. Week 9: Single photons, EPR pairs. Student talks. Course description: The Quantum Computation and Quantum Cryptography is a one-quarter course which focuses on the principles and ideas of the new paradigm for storing and manipulating information using quantum mechanical systems. Both the quantum computation and the quantum cryptography are important for national security. The former can be employed to time-efficiently break commonly used Internet public-key encryption methods, such as the RSA code. Quantum cryptography is a reality of today, with commercially-produced and marketed systems, while a quantum computer may well be a reality of tomorrow. We start with a brief review of the relevant topics of quantum mechanics (superposition, eigenstates, unitary operators, measurement, two-level system, Rabi flopping) and information theory (data representation, bits, logic gates, Shannon theorem), followed by the description of qubits (quantum bits) and entanglement, the building blocks of a quantum computer. The Shor's factoring algorithm (period finding, quantum Fourier transform) and the Grover search algorithm (entangled data base, oracle) will be introduced. Physical implementations of qubits (NMR, trapped ions, neutral atoms, superconductors, quantum dots, linear optics) will also be described. Next, the principles of quantum communication (Alice and Bob, single photon sources and detectors, entangled photons, teleportation, dense coding) and quantum cryptography (BB88 protocol, decoy states, privacy purification, eavesdropper effects) will be outlined. The state of the art experiments, as well as the commercially available quantum cryptography systems (MagiQ, id Quantique) will be described. Intended audience: The course is aimed at upper-level undergraduate students in physics, engineering and math programs. Prerequisites: PHYS 225, PHYS 324 or 315, MATH 308 or the quivalent. Please contact me if you're missing any of the required course, but really-really want to take this one! Method of evaluation: The evaluation will be based on weekly homeworks (50% of the grade) and a final project (50% of the grade). For the final project, you will have a choice of either preparing a 10-minute PowerPoint presentation or writing a 5-page report on the topics of quantum computing and cryptography, especially the latest experimental results and developments. Textbooks: Required text: "A Short Introduction to Quantum Information and Quantum Computation" by M. Le Bellac (Cambridge University Press, 2006). For the more computer-science inclined types, suggested text is "Quantum Computer Science" by N. David Mermin (Cambridge University Press, 2007).