The ABCs of Quantum Computing

Quantum computers are constantly in the media. But what kind of devices are they? How does a quantum computer differ from a traditional computer? How does one program a quantum computer? And what is quantum information?

The ABCs of Quantum Computing is a publically available three-part course. Welcome to learning the ABCs of Quantum Computing!

Quantum computing for all

The ABCs of Quantum Computing is a quantum information and quantum computing information package for anyone interested. What is quantum computing all about?

Information needs a physical object to carry it, and so the laws of physics set the limits on how information can be processed. The smallest and most sensitive physical systems obey the laws of quantum physics and are therefore quantum systems. Quantum systems behave differently from ordinary physical objects. That is why quantum information and also the associated rules of information processing are different. To understand the possibilities and limitations of information processing, it is worth becoming familiar with quantum information and quantum computing now, as quantum computers are being built and developed to ever higher levels of sophistication.

What is a quantum gate simulator?

The different parts of the course are completed independently at your own pace in the TIM learning environment. The course material is in a single document consisting of text, videos and exercises. The document is a bit like a colouring book with instructions, where learning by doing is the way to absorb knowledge. If necessary, you can ask for help in the discussion board.

Without doubt, the most fun part of the course series is the quantum gate simulator and the tasks to be performed with it. The quantum gate simulator gives a concrete idea of what rudimentary programming of a quantum computer means. Everything is not handed out on a platter, but instead you have the opportunity to experiment to find out how quantum gates work.

The ABCs of quantum computing

The ABCs of Quantum Computing consists of three parts. You can study part A only or continue to parts B and C if you wish. Part A requires no prior knowledge. The following part B is suitable for anyone who has completed part A and wants to know more about quantum computing. Part A gives an overview of the basic concepts of quantum computing and is in itself a stand-alone course.

Part A

Part A of the ABCs of Quantum Computing covers basic concepts without any prior knowledge of quantum physics. The mathematical machinery of quantum theory is only introduced in later parts, so a deep understanding of mathematics is not required in Part A either. The five topics of the course are quantum physics, randomness and probability, information, gate computation and quantum gate computation.

Part B

Part B of the ABCs of Quantum Computing focuses on the mathematical notation needed for quantum computing and the basics of the mathematics of quantum information. In this course you will learn how to describe quantum gates as matrices and how matrix calculus is linked to quantum gate computing. Practicing the mathematics may require patience, but this part of the ABCs of Quantum Computing is also made in such a way that you can learn things by doing. The only requirement for part B is the knowledge gained from Part A.