MITx: 8.370.3x Quantum Information Science I, Part 3

About this course

Welcome to 8.370.3x Quantum Information Science I, Part II

This course is part of a three-course-module series that provides an introduction to the theory and practice of quantum computation. We cover:

• The physics of information processing

• Quantum logic gates

• Quantum algorithms including Shor's factoring algorithm and Grover's search algorithm

• Quantum error correction

• Quantum communication and key distribution

This course module will help you establish a foundation of knowledge for understanding what quantum computers can do, how they work, and how you can contribute to discovering new things and solving problems in quantum information science and engineering.

The three-course-module series comprises:

• 8.370.1x: Foundations of quantum and classical computing – quantum mechanics, reversible computation, and quantum measurement

• 8.370.2x: Simple quantum protocols and algorithms – teleportation and superdense coding, the Deutsch-Jozsa and Simon's algorithm, Grover's quantum search algorithm, and Shor's quantum factoring algorithm

• 8.370.3x: Foundations of quantum communication – noise and quantum channels, and quantum key distribution

Prior knowledge of quantum mechanics is helpful but not required. It is best if you know some linear algebra.

A second course-module sequence, 8.371x, will follow, covering more advanced content, including fault-tolerant quantum computation, advanced quantum communication, and advanced quantum algorithms.

The four sub-units of 8.370.3x Quantum Information Science I, Part II

• Subunit 1:  [mathjaxinline]~[/mathjaxinline] Formal models for quantum noise and quantum communication channels

• Subunit 2:  [mathjaxinline]~[/mathjaxinline] Simple quantum error-correction codes, including the quantum Hamming code

• Subunit 3:  [mathjaxinline]~[/mathjaxinline] Quantum cryptography - key distribution

• Subunit 4:  [mathjaxinline]~[/mathjaxinline] Distributed quantum protocols and algorithms

Textbook and Refernces

You may find it helpful to refer to: Quantum Computation and Quantum Information, by Nielsen and Chuang. There are also excellent, freely available lecture notes by John Preskill, and superb video lectures by Daniel Gottesman.

Also possibly available are: MIT 8.05x courses on quantum mechanics, and Berkeley's CS191 course. The Caltech-TU Delft course on quantum cryptography may also be insightful.

This is an intermediate, graduate-level course, and you are expected to largely learn the material on your own. The discussion forums may be a good avenue for help from peers; there will be occasional (but not full-time) help from course staff, on the forums.

Assessments and Deadlines

This course module formally begins on Monday, April 9, 2018, and all the content is available immediately. The four subunits each has concept questions embedded within the lectures, and an assessment problem set, with due dates:

• Subunit 1: April 20, 2018

• Subunit 2: April 27, 2018

• Subunit 3: May 4, 2018

• Subunit 4: May 11, 2018

Grading and Certificates

The course grade is determined entirely by the concept questions (30%) and problem sets (70%), with the following cutoffs:

• 90% : A

• 80% : B

• 70% : C

The minimum passing grade for a verified-ID certificate is 70%.

Honor Code

As described in the edX Honor code, you are expected to:

• Complete all tests and assignments on my own, unless collaboration on an assignment is explicitly permitted.

• Maintain only one user account and not let anyone else use my username and/or password.

• Not engage in any activity that would dishonestly improve my results, or improve or hurt the results of others.

• Not post answers to problems that are being used to assess student performance.

Acknowledgements

This course has been authored by one or more members of the Faculty of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Its educational objectives, methods, assessments, and the selection and presentation of its content are solely the responsibility of MIT. MIT gratefully acknowledges major support for this course, provided by IBM Research. This course on quantum information science is a collective effort to further advance knowledge and understanding in quantum information and quantum computing.

Entrance Survey

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