How quantum computing is really done: a primer for future quantum device engineers. This text offers an introduction to quantum computing, with a special emphasis on basic quantum physics, experiment, and quantum devices. Unlike many other texts, which tend to emphasize algorithms, Quantum Computing Without Magic explains the requisite quantum physics in some depth, and then explains the devices themselves. It is a book for readers who, having already encountered quantum algorithms, may ask, “Yes, I can see how the algebra does the trick, but how can we actually do it?” By explaining the details in the context of the topics covered, this book strips the subject of the “magic” with which it is so often cloaked. Quantum Computing Without Magic covers the essential probability calculus; the qubit, its physics, manipulation and measurement, and how it can be implemented using superconducting electronics; quaternions and density operator formalism; unitary formalism and its application to Berry phase manipulation; the biqubit, the mysteries of entanglement, nonlocality, separability, biqubit classification, and the Schroedinger's Cat paradox; the controlled-NOT gate, its applications and implementations; and classical analogs of quantum devices and quantum processes. Quantum Computing Without Magic can be used as a complementary text for physics and electronic engineering undergraduates studying quantum computing and basic quantum mechanics, or as an introduction and guide for electronic engineers, mathematicians, computer scientists, or scholars in these fields who are interested in quantum computing and how it might fit into their research programs.

A thorough exposition of quantum computing and the underlying concepts of quantum physics, with explanations of the relevant mathematics and numerous examples.

A Science journalist reveals the existence of the world's first quantum computer--created by a team of Silicon Valley researchers and able to simultaneously compute all possible solutions to a problem, making it the most powerful computer in the world.

One of the most cited books in physics of all time, Quantum Computation and Quantum Information remains the best textbook in this exciting field of science. This 10th anniversary edition includes an introduction from the authors setting the work in context. This comprehensive textbook describes such remarkable effects as fast quantum algorithms, quantum teleportation, quantum cryptography and quantum error-correction. Quantum mechanics and computer science are introduced before moving on to describe what a quantum computer is, how it can be used to solve problems faster than 'classical' computers and its real-world implementation. It concludes with an in-depth treatment of quantum information. Containing a wealth of figures and exercises, this well-known textbook is ideal for courses on the subject, and will interest beginning graduate students and researchers in physics, computer science, mathematics, and electrical engineering.

This volume presents papers on the topics covered at the National Academy of Engineering's 2018 US Frontiers of Engineering Symposium. Every year the symposium brings together 100 outstanding young leaders in engineering to share their cutting-edge research and innovations in selected areas. The 2018 symposium was held September 5-7 and hosted by MIT Lincoln Laboratory in Lexington, Massachusetts. The intent of this book is to convey the excitement of this unique meeting and to highlight innovative developments in engineering research and technical work.

This book addresses a broad community of physicists, engineers, computer scientists and industry professionals, as well as the general public, who are aware of the unprecedented media hype surrounding the supposedly imminent new era of quantum computing. The central argument of this book is that the feasibility of quantum computing in the physical world is extremely doubtful. The hypothetical quantum computer is not simply a quantum variant of the conventional digital computer, but rather a quantum extension of a classical analog computer operating with continuous parameters. In order to have a useful machine, the number of continuous parameters to control would have to be of such an astronomically large magnitude as to render the endeavor virtually infeasible. This viewpoint is based on the author’s expert understanding of the gargantuan challenges that would have to be overcome to ever make quantum computing a reality. Knowledge of secondary-school-level physics and math will be sufficient for understanding most of the text.

Recent advancements in quantum-enabled systems present a variety of new opportunities and challenges. These technologies are important developments for a variety of computing, communications, and sensing applications. However, many materials and components relevant to quantum-enabled systems exist outside of the United States, and it is important to promote the development of assured domestic sources of materials, manufacturing capabilities, and expertise. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine convened a 2-day workshop to explore implications and concerns related to the application of quantum-enabled systems in the United States. This workshop focused on quantum-enabled computing systems, quantum communications and networks, and quantum sensing opportunities. Participants explored the path to quantum computing, communications, and networks, opportunities for collaboration, as well as key gaps, supply chain concerns, and security issues. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussions from the workshop.

Quantum mechanics, the subfield of physics that describes the behavior of very small (quantum) particles, provides the basis for a new paradigm of computing. First proposed in the 1980s as a way to improve computational modeling of quantum systems, the field of quantum computing has recently garnered significant attention due to progress in building small-scale devices. However, significant technical advances will be required before a large-scale, practical quantum computer can be achieved. Quantum Computing: Progress and Prospects provides an introduction to the field, including the unique characteristics and constraints of the technology, and assesses the feasibility and implications of creating a functional quantum computer capable of addressing real-world problems. This report considers hardware and software requirements, quantum algorithms, drivers of advances in quantum computing and quantum devices, benchmarks associated with relevant use cases, the time and resources required, and how to assess the probability of success.

Topological quantum computation is a computational paradigm based on topological phases of matter, which are governed by topological quantum field theories. In this approach, information is stored in the lowest energy states of many-anyon systems and processed by braiding non-abelian anyons. The computational answer is accessed by bringing anyons together and observing the result. Besides its theoretical esthetic appeal, the practical merit of the topological approach lies in its error-minimizing hypothetical hardware: topological phases of matter are fault-avoiding or deaf to most local noises, and unitary gates are implemented with exponential accuracy. Experimental realizations are pursued in systems such as fractional quantum Hall liquids and topological insulators. This book expands on the author's CBMS lectures on knots and topological quantum computing and is intended as a primer for mathematically inclined graduate students. With an emphasis on introducing basic notions and current research, this book gives the first coherent account of the field, covering a wide range of topics: Temperley-Lieb-Jones theory, the quantum circuit model, ribbon fusion category theory, topological quantum field theory, anyon theory, additive approximation of the Jones polynomial, anyonic quantum computing models, and mathematical models of topological phases of matter.

In the 1990's it was realized that quantum physics has some spectacular applications in computer science. This book is a concise introduction to quantum computation, developing the basic elements of this new branch of computational theory without assuming any background in physics. It begins with an introduction to the quantum theory from a computer-science perspective. It illustrates the quantum-computational approach with several elementary examples of quantum speed-up, before moving to the major applications: Shor's factoring algorithm, Grover's search algorithm, and quantum error correction. The book is intended primarily for computer scientists who know nothing about quantum theory, but will also be of interest to physicists who want to learn the theory of quantum computation, and philosophers of science interested in quantum foundational issues. It evolved during six years of teaching the subject to undergraduates and graduate students in computer science, mathematics, engineering, and physics, at Cornell University.