An Introduction to Quantum Computation and （介绍量子计算和）.pdf

An Introduction to Quantum Computation and Quantum Communication Rob Pike Bell Labs Lucent Technologies rob@ June 23, 2000 Introduction 1 An analogy: Newtonian physics is an approximation to Einsteinian physics (general relativity). Classical physics is an approximation to quantum mechanics. Classical information is an approximation to quantum information. In each case, the approximation excludes important details but serves well for many purposes. In each case, removing the approximation requires deeper understanding and harder math, but results in a truer picture of Nature and may enable new technologies. Yes, Nature: we’re beginning to understand that information is a physical concept. What approximation do we remove? 2 Relativity: we remove (among others) the approximation that we are traveling much slower than light. Quantum mechanics: we remove (among others) the approximation that we are manipulating things much larger than atoms. Quantum computation: we remove (among others) the approximation that the elements of information are independently manipulable. Why would we care? 3 That approximation means that we can look at one bit in a register without affecting the other bits. Why remove that approximation? Because it limits the power of the computer. (Keep in mind the analogies.) Also, getting ahead of ourselves, that approximation turns out to be troublesome in representing information quantum mechanically. Why would we do that?