Quantum computers have attracted a lot of interest in the last few years. Their peculiar use of quantum coherent states as a mean to compute exponentially many values in linear time already challenges established ideas in classical complexity theory, but when Peter Shor discovered how to use quantum computers to factor large numbers in polynomial time, the focus of attention moved >from the question "How good are they?" to "How can we build them?". While many aspects of this question are best answered by physicists and experimentalists, there is one area in which mathematicians and computer scientists have made significant contributions: quantum error correction.
Quantum coherent states are very sensitive to their environment. The slightest disturbance can render an entire computation worthless. Error correction is a way to introduce redundancy such that small errors during a computation can be identified and corrected. Unfortunately, existing classical error correction schemes are useless on quantum computers and new schemes have to be created. Simply stated, the problem of quantum error correction is this: How can one correct something which can be disturbed by the mere act of reading it? A number of approach were explored and many schemes were proposed. In fact, an entire theory of quantum error correction is emerging and the purpose of the series of lectures is to present the state of the art of the field.
WHEN/WHERE: The lectures will be held every Wednesday 2:00 pm starting November 13, 1996 at the AT&T Murray Hill Building. The exact room will be announced in the weekly reminder.
NOTE: If you are not from the MH building, you should send email to Andre Berthiaume (berthiau@research.att.com) to confirm your presence so that visitor badges can be prepared in advance.
CONTACT:
If there are other subjects which you would be interested to hear about or if you would like to present your own results, please contact Andre Berthiaume.