CMSC/PHYS 457 Introduction to Quantum Computing, Spring 2020 : Syllabus

Week 1 (Jan 27 - Jan 31): From classical to quantum information. Quantum mechanics.

• Lecture 1 (01/27/20): Introduction of the course (note). Linear algebra backgrounds (our cheatsheet). Reading: KLM Chap 1 and Chap 2.1-2.6.

• Lecture 2 (01/29/20): mathematical formulation of quantum mechanics. Reading: KLM Chap 3.1.

• Logistics: Please find your group member as soon as possible.

Week 2 (Feb 3 - Feb 7): Quantum mechanics.

• Lecture 3 (02/03/20): mathematical formulation of quantum mechanics. Reading: KLM Chap 3.1-3.3.

• Lecture 4 (02/05/20): mathematical formulation of quantum mechanics. Reading: KLM Chap 3.4. No-cloning theorem

• Logistics: Assignment 0 and 1 due on 02/07/20.

Week 3 (Feb 10 - Feb 14): Quantum protocols.

• Lecture 5 (02/10/20): teleportation and super-dense coding. Reading: KLM Chap 5.1-5.2.

• Lecture 6 (02/14/20): quantum Zeno Effect and Elitzur-Vaidman Bomb. Reading: Aaronson's Lecture 4

• Logistics: Project proposal due on 02/14/20.

Week 4 (Feb 17 - Feb 21): Quantum circuits.

• Lecture 7 (02/17/20): basic quantum circuits/gates. universal gate sets. Reading: KLM Chap 4.

• Lecture 8 (02/19/20): universal gate sets. Reading: KLM Chap 4. Further Reading: Nielsen and Chung Chap 4.1 - 4.6. Note on the Solovay-Kitaev theorem by Ozols

• Logistics: Assignment 2 due on 02/21/20. Project finalized by 02/21/20.

Week 5 (Feb 24 - Feb 28): Quantum algorithms.

• Lecture 9 (02/24/20): quantum query model and Deutsch-Josza algorithm. Reading: Gharibian-Lec-06

• Lecture 10 (02/26/20): Simon's algorithm. Reading: Watrous-06-Lec 6

• Logistics:

Week 6 (Mar 2 - Mar 6): Grover's algorithms.

• Lecture 11 (03/02/20): Grover's algorithm. Reading: Watrous-06-Lec 12 Watrous-06-Lec 13

• Lecture 12 (03/04/20): Grover's algorithm: applications and the lower bound. Reading: van Melkebeek-Lec-07 Aaronson's Lecture 23

• Logistics: Assignment 3 due on 03/06/20.

Week 7 (Mar 9 - Mar 13): Quantum algorithms (cont'd).

• Lecture 13 (03/09/20): quantum Fourier transform and quantum phase estimation. Reading: Watrous-06-Lec 8 Watrous-06-Lec 9

• Lecture 14 (03/11/20): Exam I.

• Logistics: Good luck with the exam!

Week 8 (Mar 16 - Mar 20): Spring Break! Enjoy!

Week 9 (Mar 23 - Mar 27): Extended Spring Break!

Week 10 (Mar 30 - Apr 3): Shor's algorithm.

• Lecture 15 (03/30/20): quantum algorithm for order finding. Reading: Watrous-06-Lec 10

• Lecture 16 (04/01/20): Shor's algorithm. Reading: Watrous-06-Lec 11

• Logistics: Assignment 4 due on 04/03/20.

Week 11 (Apr 6 - Apr 10): Mixed states, Quantum operations, and Quantum Entanglements

• Lecture 17 (04/06/20): mixed states, density operators, quantum entanglement. Reading: KLM 3.5, Watrous-06-Lec 14. Further Reading TQI Chapter 2.

• Lecture 18 (04/08/20): quantum operations. Reading: KLM 3.5, Watrous-06-Lec 15. Further Reading TQI Chapter 2.

• Logistics: Project mid-term report due by 04/08/20.

Week 12 (Apr 13 - Apr 17): Quantum Error Correction

• Lecture 19 (04/13/20): KLM 10.1 - 10.4, Watrous-06-16.pdf

• Lecture 20 (04/15/20): KLM 10.1 - 10.4, Watrous-06-16.pdf

• Logistics: Assignment 5 due on 04/17/20.

Week 13 (Apr 20 - Apr 24): Near-term Quantum Applications (Optional)

• Lecture 21 (04/20/20): Quantum Supremacy.

• Lecture 22 (04/22/20): Variational quantum methods.

• Logistics: Project slides due on 04/22/20.

Week 14 - Week 16 (Apr 27 - May 12): Exam II + Group presentations.

• 1-Day Take-home Exam: 04/27/20.

• Recorded Presentation (due on): 05/04/20.

• Peer Review (due on): 05/14/20.

Week 17: Exam Week: course project report due on 05/18/20 !