IS SCHRODINGER'S CAT DEAD OR ALIVE?
An introduction to quantum information
Physics 642 - Fall 2019

___________________________________________________

Home

Syllabus

Homework

Projects

Timetable

The QT Group

TEXTBOOK: Notes, by John Preskill.

                               

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Unit 1 UNIT 1: States and ensembles
Unit 2 UNIT 2: Measurement and evolution
Unit 3 UNIT 3: Entanglement
Unit 4 UNIT 4: Computation

In this course, we will explore the bizarre world of quantum mechanics. Its properties, such as superposition, coherence, entanglement, etc, have given rise to various paradoxes (Schrodinger's cat, the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen paradox, etc). Back in the early '80s, Feynman was among the first to suggest that these principles may enable us to process information at much faster speeds than any classical computer. Ever since, people have been trying to harness the power of quantum mechanics and build a quantum computer. This subject is still in its infancy, but already industry giants, such as Microsoft, Google, and IBM, are working on developing quantum computers. Another promising application of quantum mechanics is in cryptography. It provides unprecedented means of transmitting encrypted information over a public channel. All these exciting developments and more, starting with basic quantum mechanics, will be discussed.

___________________________________________________

^Department of Physics and Astronomy  --- e-mail: siopsis AT tennessee DOT edu

Voice: (865) 974-7846  -- Fax: (865) 974-7843

401 Nielsen Physics Bldg., The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996-1200, U.S.A.