Introduction to Optical Quantum Information Processing

Textbook for graduate students describing techniques likely to be used in implementing optical quantum information processors.

Pieter Kok (Author), Brendon W. Lovett (Author)

9780521519144, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 22 April 2010

504 pages, 142 b/w illus. 122 exercises
25.8 x 19.5 x 2.5 cm, 1.24 kg

'… good selection of topics … content is well organised … The presentation of the book is perfect … It [is] hard not to notice the care the authors [have] given to the diagrams and plots, a rare quality of books these days.' Contemporary Physics

Quantum information processing offers fundamental improvements over classical information processing, such as computing power, secure communication, and high-precision measurements. However, the best way to create practical devices is not yet known. This textbook describes the techniques that are likely to be used in implementing optical quantum information processors. After developing the fundamental concepts in quantum optics and quantum information theory, the book shows how optical systems can be used to build quantum computers according to the most recent ideas. It discusses implementations based on single photons and linear optics, optically controlled atoms and solid-state systems, atomic ensembles, and optical continuous variables. This book is ideal for graduate students beginning research in optical quantum information processing. It presents the most important techniques of the field using worked examples and over 120 exercises.

Part I. Quantum Optics and Quantum Information: 1. The quantum theory of light
2. Quantum information processing
3. Figures of merit
Part II. Quantum Information in Photons and Atoms: 4. Photon sources and detectors
5. Quantum communication with single photons
6. Quantum computation with single photons
7. Atomic quantum information carriers
Part III. Quantum Information in Many-Body Systems: 8. Quantum communication with continuous variables
9. Quantum computation with continuous variables
10. Atomic ensembles in quantum information processing
11. Solid state quantum information carriers
12. Decoherence of solid state qubits
13. Quantum metrology
Appendices
References
Index.

Subject Areas: Electronics & communications engineering [TJ], Quantum physics [quantum mechanics & quantum field theory PHQ]