Introduction to Quantum Information Processing
CS 667, C&O 681, PHYS 767
Fall 2007 (http://www.cs.uwaterloo.ca/~cleve/courses/F07CS667/index.html)

Notes
● Classes are held in BFG 2125 on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10:00-11:15am
● Assignment 5 (due December 3) has now been posted
● Some extra challenge questions now posted below (entirely optional)
● Office hours are now posted below (for instructor and TA)

Instructor
Richard Cleve (cleve@cs.uwaterloo.ca)
Office hours: 11:00am-Noon on Mondays (in DC 2117) or by appointment

Course TA
Sarvagya Upadhyay (supadhya@cs.uwaterloo.ca)
Office hours: 1:00-2:00pm on Fridays (in DC 2114)

Objectives
Quantum Information Processing (also known as "quantum computing") seeks to harness the strange power of quantum mechanics to provide a qualitatively different and more powerful way of processing information than "classical" physics seems to allow. The objective of this course is to introduce this multidisciplinary subject at the graduate level.

Topics to be covered
● Basic introduction to the framework of quantum information (4 hours, approximately)
● Quantum algorithms and complexity theory (12 hours)
● Representations of mixed states and quantum operations on them (5 hours)
● Nonlocality and communication complexity (4 hours)
● Quantum cryptography (5 hours)
● Overview of implementations of quantum information processing systems (2 hours)

Intended audience
This course is mainly intended for graduate students in CS, C&O or Physics. Other students may take this course with the permission of the instructor.
Prerequisites are MATH 235 or equivalent (e.g. PHYS 364 & 365); STAT 230 or equivalent. Note: this course cannot be taken for credit by students who have taken CO 481 / CS 467 / PHYS 467.

Evaluation
5 assignments 12% each
1 project 40%

Assignments (worth 60% of the final grade)
Assignment 1 (due September 27)
Assignment 2 (due October 16)
Assignment 3  (due October 30)
Assignment 4 (due November 15)
Assignment 5 (due December 3)

Extra challenge questions (entirely optional, but any correct solutions will be added to grade)
Assignment 2 Extra Challenge Questions
Assignment 3 Extra Challenge Questions

Projects (worth 40% of the final grade)
Each project consists of a written component and an oral presentation to the class. It should explain and analyze some topic in quantum information processing, selected with the approval of the instructor. Your presentation should be about 30 minutes in length and your written component is not required to be of any particular length, but around 10 pages would be typical (PDF, PS, and Word are acceptable formats). You should explain the topic in your own words, at a level accessible to your classmates. The written component of your project is due December 15, 2006. It can be submitted by hardcopy or electronically.

List of possible project topics
[ PDF format, Word format ]
Note that you are welcome to pursue a project topic that is not on the list. In any event, you should seek approval from the instructor for your project topic.

References
● An Introduction to Quantum Computation, P. Kaye, R. Laflamme, M. Mosca (Oxford University Press, 2007). Primary reference.
● Quantum Computation and Quantum Information, Michael A. Nielsen and Isaac L. Chuang (Cambridge University Press, 2000). Secondary reference.