Quantum Computing and Communications

We have, in the last few years, radically improved our grasp of the quantum world. Not just intellectually, either: our ability to manipulate real quantum systems has grown in equal measure with our understanding of their fundamental behavior. These two shoots - the intellectual and the practical harnessing of the quantum world - have sprung up at a time when a third shoot - information processing - has also been experiencing explosive growth. These three shoots are now becoming intertwined. Twisted together, our understanding of information processing, quantum theory and practical quantum control make for a strong new growth with enormous potential. One must always be careful about using the word 'revolutionary' too readily. It is, however, difficult to find another word to describe the developments that have been taking place during the second half of the 1990s. In 1986 Richard Feynman, the visionary professor of physics, made a very interesting remark: " ... we are going to be even more ridiculous later and consider bits written on one atom instead of the present 1011 atoms. Such nonsense is very entertaining to professors like me." It is exceptionally unfortunate that Feynman did not live to see this 'nonsense' fully transformed into reality. He, more than anybody, would enjoy the fact that it is now possible to write information onto an atom, or indeed an ion or a photon.

List of contents

Section I A Wide Perspective.- 1 Introduction.- 2 The Fundamentals of Quantum Information.- 3 Quantum Computer Science.- 4 Experimental Realizations.- 5 Optical Technologies for Quantum Computing and Communications.- 6 Applications.- 7 A Note on the Question of Scaling: Decoherence and Error Correction.- Section II Personal Perspectives.- 8 Solid State Quantum Computation: Prospects, Proposals, and Prejudices.- 9 Information is Physical, But Slippery.- 10 Nanocircuitry, Defect Tolerance and Quantum Computing: Architectural and Manufacturing Considerations.- 11 Quantum Computing and NMR.- 12 Quantum Networks and Quantum Algorithms.- 13 Quantum Cryptography.- Section III A Perspective for the Future.- 14 Realizing the Potential of Quantum Information Processing.- 15 The Role of Europe.- 16 Quantum Computing and Communications: A View from the USA.- Section IV Reference materials.- 17 Quantum Information Processing: A Brief Overview of Recent Advances.- 18 Categories and Definitions.- Appendix A The Pathfinder Project.- A.1 Pathfmder Activities.- A.1.1 Newsletters.- A.1.2 Database of Active Individuals and Organizations.- A.1.3 Taxonomy of the Subject.- A.1.4 Helsinki Conference.- A.1.5 QIP Report.- A.2 Pathfinder Project Partners.- Appendix B A Preliminary QIP Roadmap.

About the author

Michael Brooks geboren 1970 in Manchester, hat in Quantenphysik promoviert. Er ist leitender Redakteur beim New Scientist und schreibt u.a. für den Guardian, den Independent, den Observer und worauf er besonders stolz ist den Playboy. Er lebt mit seiner Frau und seinen beiden Kindern in Südengland.

Summary

The first handbook to provide a comprehensive inter-disciplinary overview of QCC. It includes peer-reviewed definitions of key terms such as Quantum Logic Gates, Error Correction, Quantum Dots, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Quantum Holography, and Quantum Cryptography.

Additional text

This handbook provides the first comprehensive overview of the field of
Quantum Computing and Communications (QCC). It looks at the background
to an emerging technology which promises to revolutionise information processing
and, as a result, many areas of computing and communications. It gives
an easy-to-follow introduction to the main areas of interest, including:
- Fundamentals of Quantum Information; - Experimental Realizations; - Applications;
- Quantum Cryptography; - Categories and Definitions.This is not just a
reference for those working in the field; written in an accessible style
by Michael Brooks - an experienced journalist for New Scientist magazine
and the Guardian newspaper - it aims to communicate with anyone working
in computer science, physics, chemistry, mathematics and engineering who
wants to know what QCC technology will mean to them.

Product details

• Authors: M. E. Brooks
• Assisted by: Michae Brooks (Editor), Michael Brooks (Editor)
• Publisher: Springer, Berlin
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 01.01.1999
• EAN: 9781852330910
• ISBN: 978-1-85233-091-0
• No. of pages: 152
• Weight: 268 g
• Illustrations: XI, 152 p. 4 illus.
• Subject: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > IT, data processing > General, dictionaries