QC151 - Quantum Physics for Quantum Computing

Non-mathematical coverage of superposition and entanglement. Intuitive and qualitative preparation for advanced topics

Key Features

Build a strong foundation in quantum physics to help you learn more advanced topics in quantum computing.
Develop an intuitive understanding of superposition and entanglement using simulators.
Gain a qualitative understanding that goes beyond merely knowing how to do the Math.

What You Will Learn

Polarization of light
The quantum behavior of polarizers
Information in quantum systems
Quantum measurement

About

This is a follow-on course to QC101. It helps you gain an intuitive and qualitative understanding of basic quantum physics to help you understand more advanced quantum computing courses.

The aim is to help you understand qualitatively how the physics of quantum mechanics works. For instance, the mathematical representation of a Bell State is very simple. But the physical implications of a Bell State are weird. A photon has an angle of polarization, a property that is like a direction. But strangely, photons that are entangled in the Bell State behave as though they have no preferred angle or direction.

An intuitive appreciation of such weird behavior will be useful when we present more advanced topics on quantum algorithms in later courses.

To help you understand quantum physics qualitatively, this course is provided with simulators written in Java. Running the simulators and studying the Java source code will help you gain a qualitative understanding that goes beyond merely knowing how to do the Math.