Prospects and Challenges of Quantum Computing

Lecture given at the HGSFP winterschool in Obergurgl in January 2019.

Lecture contents

Lecture 1: Prospects of quantum computing

• Brief history
• Quantum circuit model
• Quantum algorithms: Deutsch-Jozsa
• Quantum complexity

Lecture 2: Challenges for quantum computing

• Decoherence
• Quantum error correction
• Stabilizer codes and the Gottesman-Knill theorem
• Fault-tolerant quantum computing and the threshold theorem

References

• Nielsen and Chuang book http://csis.pace.edu/ctappert/cs837-18spring/QC-textbook.pdf
• Report of the national academy of sciences on the prospects and challenges of quantum computing: https://www.nap.edu/catalog/25196/quantum-computing-progress-and-prospects
• Scott Aaronson’s blog: https://www.scottaaronson.com/blog/
• Article about progress of quantum technologies: https://physicsworld.com/a/mapping-the-commercial-landscape-for-quantum-technologies/
• Comic about quantum computing: https://www.smbc-comics.com/comic/the-talk-3