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. Front Matter....Pages i-xi Front Matter....Pages 1-1 Introduction....Pages 3-7 The Fundamentals of Quantum Information....Pages 9-15 Quantum Computer Science....Pages 17-25 Experimental Realizations....Pages 27-31 Optical Technologies for Quantum Computing and Communications....Pages 33-42 Applications....Pages 43-47 A Note on the Question of Scaling: Decoherence and Error Correction....Pages 49-50 Front Matter....Pages 51-51 Solid State Quantum Computation: Prospects, Proposals, and Prejudices....Pages 53-57 Information is Physical, But Slippery....Pages 59-62 Nanocircuitry, Defect Tolerance and Quantum Computing: Architectural and Manufacturing Considerations....Pages 63-69 Quantum Computing and NMR....Pages 71-78 Quantum Networks and Quantum Algorithms....Pages 79-85 Quantum Cryptography....Pages 87-93 Front Matter....Pages 95-95 Realizing the Potential of Quantum Information Processing....Pages 97-101 The Role of Europe....Pages 103-106 Quantum Computing and Communications: A View from the USA....Pages 107-114 Front Matter....Pages 117-117 Quantum Information Processing: A Brief Overview of Recent Advances....Pages 119-136 Categories and Definitions....Pages 137-143 Back Matter....Pages 145-152

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.

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 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. There are also reports on major application areas, principles of QCC, and targets, benchmarks and challenges, making this an invaluable buy for any university department with this exciting new topic in its curriculum. It equally provides a unique overview of a fast-moving and multidisciplinary topic for researchers, students, lecturers, and even the interested amateur. "Quantum control is set to revolutionize many aspects of computing and communications, promising, among other things, super-fast computation and completely secure data transmission. Quantum Computing and Communications brings you right up to speed on this breakthrough technology and delivers essential information about the background to, and basics of, Quantum Computing and Communications; provides an overview of worldwide trends and developments; includes expert opinions on prospects and potential growth in the field; and defines major terms used in teaching, researching and learning."--Jacket Introduction Fundamentals of Quantum Information Quantum Computer Science Experimental Realizations Technologies from QCC Applications A Note on the Question of Scaling Quantum Information Processing Nanocircuitry, Defect Tolerance and QC Information is Physical, but Slippery Quantum Cryptography Solid State Quantum Computation Quantum Networks and Quantum Algorithms Quantum Computing and NMR The Potential of Quantum Information Processing The Role of Europe QCC A View from the USA The Pathfinder Project Categories and Definitions A Preliminary QIP Roadmap.