Patrick Lei

Quantum information theory (Spring 2024)
About this seminar

For many years, it has been expected that quantum algorithms will massively increase computational efficiency for certain tasks, for example factorization of integers. In this seminar, you will learn how to think about the most basic unit of quantum computing, the qubit, and interactions between them using the language of linear algebra. Later in the semester, we will move on to applications, for example quantum algorithms, approximation, or error correction.

Expectations

Each participant will give at least one talk over the course of the semester, during which I hope you enjoy some interesting mathematics and improve your presentation skills. Speakers are required to meet with me once at least 24 hours before your talk (note: I will not agree to meet over the weekend), at which point your notes should be 75% done. After your talk, please email me a copy of your notes. When you are not speaking, I hope that you can help form a friendly and lively seminar environment. The expectations are as follows:

Schedule

Each talk will last approximately 50 minutes. The schedule is subject to change at any point.

1/22
Patrick Lei
Organizational meeting
1/29
Liz Radway and Peri Kay
Chapter 1
Liz's notes
Peri's notes
2/05
Nathan Raghavan and Rimas Chacar-Palubinskas
Chapter 2
Nathan's notes
Rimas's notes
2/12
Akshay Nambudiripad and Ella Roselli
Chapter 3
Akshay's notes
Ella's notes
2/19
Raunak Lally and Tabitha Wan
Chapter 4
Raunak's notes
Tabitha's notes
2/26
Naomi Jiang and Francesco Stern
Naomi's notes
Francesco's notes
Chapter 5
3/04
Chloe Lambert and Tasmim Rahman
Chapter 6
Chloe's notes
Tasmim's notes
3/11
Spring break
3/18
Erica Choi and Sam Kim
Chapter 7
Erica's notes
Sam's notes
3/25
Jane Meenaghan and Erica Choi
Chapter 8
Jane's notes
Erica's notes
4/01
Nick Evgenidze and Cara Zhu
Chapter 9
Nick's notes
Cara's notes
4/08
Nathan Raghavan
Decoherence and recoherence
Reference: chapter 13 of the main reference
Notes
Cara Zhu
Quantum error correction
Reference: chapter 14 of the main reference
4/15
Cara Zhu
Quantum error correction (continued, see above)
Notes
Mark Chen
Quantum cryptography as interactive proof system
Reference: Kalai-Lombardi-Vaikuntanathan-Yang, Natarajan-Zhang
Notes
4/22
Seminar cancelled
Ella Roselli
A theory of quantum error-correcting codes
Reference: Knill-Laflamme
Notes
Naomi Jiang
Quantum Arthur-Merlin games
Reference: Marriott-Watrous
Notes
4/29
Seminar cancelled
Tabitha Wan
On random and hard-to-describe numbers
Reference: Bennett
Notes
Francesco Stern
Quantum key distribution
Reference: Shor-Preskill, Ekert, Bennett, Bruß-Macchiavello
Notes