General Information

This course examines the physical hardware of quantum information processing, quantum communication, and quantum sensing technologies. Topics include an analysis of qubit attributes and an introduction to the operational principles of physical qubits. Specific systems will include photonic circuits, trapped ions, superconducting quantum circuits, isolated solid-state spins and quantum dots.

Outcome 1: Understand the basic concepts of quantum information technologies.

Outcome 2: Understand and explain the properties of a qubit and its representation.

Outcome 3: Understand and analyze quantum gate operations.

Outcome 4: Have knowledge of emerging quantum technology platforms and how they relate to quantum engineering goals.

Prerequisites

Prerequisite: MATH 1920, PHYS 1112 or PHYS 1116. Corequisite: MATH 2930, PHYS 2213 or PHYS 2217.

Topics Covered

  • Introduction to quantum information processing, quantum communication, and quantum-enhanced sensing technologies
  • Introduction to qubits and their relation to classical (digital bits)
  • Introduction to a quantum 2-level system and their representation
  • The criteria for a good physical qubit system
  • Qubit state lifetime and coherence lifetime (T1 and T2)
  • Introduction to quantum gate operations
  • The operation of selected physical qubits including photons, ions, solid-state spins, and superconducting circuits.
  • Understanding the multidisciplinary and complex problem that needs to be tackled for the continued development of quantum technologies – applied physics, material science, electrical engineering, computer science and more.
  • Developments and future directions for quantum information science and technology

Workload

Weekly problem sets (~4-6 hrs), a prelim, a final quiz, and a final paper. [Spring 2022]

General Advice

  • This course covers a subject that is very much still in the beginning stages of development; thus, no textbook will properly cover it at the sophomore level. The course notes, lecture recordings, and, of course, the course staff, are your best friends in this class. The prerequisites do not need to be strictly followed, though it is helpful to have some basic linear algebra experience beforehand. The course is reasonably self-contained, and the professor will teach you everything you need to know to do well. Also, the final paper should not be taken lightly; it is worth 30% of your grade and will take multiple days to complete if you want to do well. [Spring 2022]

Testimonials

This is a solid course for anyone with budding interests in quantum information hardware, though CS enthusiasts beware: this is ultimately a physics class, focused on physical systems (i.e. the hardware) that enable technologies like quantum computing and quantum sensing. This works perfectly for physics enthusiasts like me, but there were unfortunately a few misguided souls who, upon hearing the professor say we would not be covering quantum computing algorithms, were inevitably disappointed. But I digress. AEP 2550 provided an insightful introduction into the world of quantum hardware with a basic level of rigor in terms of the physics and mathematics. You will be introduced to 2-level systems, bra ket notation, basic concepts in quantum mechanics (though you will be told numerous times that some topic is beyond the scope of the course and you will need to take AEP 3610 to actually learn it), and various examples and challenges of quantum technology. The professor will place concepts in their real life contexts because after all, developments in quantum information hardware are unfolding in real time. This allows you to appreciate the progress that has already been made and recognize the boatload of work there still is left to be done. That all being said, there will be points during the semester when it is difficult to see the big picture of what is being taught. This is perhaps not the fault of the professor, but rather the fact that there are many foundational concepts that need to be taught first before properly appreciating other concepts. Going back and rewatching lecture videos should help clear things up. In summary, expect to put in some work, do not procrastinate on the final paper, and you will find this course to be a pretty rewarding experience. [Spring 2022]

Past Offerings

Semester Professor Median Grade Syllabus
Spring 2022 Gregory Fuchs A- AEP2550_SP22.pdf