Picturing Quantum Processes
A First Course in Quantum Theory and Diagrammatic Reasoning

In this book, quantum phenomena are explained through the language of diagrams, setting out an innovative method of presenting complex scientific theories.

Bob Coecke (Author), Aleks Kissinger (Author)

9781107104228, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 16 March 2017

844 pages, 2435 b/w illus. 168 exercises
25.8 x 17.7 x 4.1 cm, 1.79 kg

'The book employs a unique formalism developed by the authors, which allows a more intuitive understanding of quantum features and eliminates complex calculations. As a result, knowledge of advanced mathematics is not required. … An informal and entertaining style is adopted, which makes this book easily approachable by students at their first encounter with quantum theory. That said, it will probably appeal more to Ph.D. students and researchers who are already familiar with the subject and are interested in looking at different treatment of this matter. The text is also accompanied by a rich set of exercises.' CERN Courier

The unique features of the quantum world are explained in this book through the language of diagrams, setting out an innovative visual method for presenting complex theories. Requiring only basic mathematical literacy, this book employs a unique formalism that builds an intuitive understanding of quantum features while eliminating the need for complex calculations. This entirely diagrammatic presentation of quantum theory represents the culmination of ten years of research, uniting classical techniques in linear algebra and Hilbert spaces with cutting-edge developments in quantum computation and foundations. Written in an entertaining and user-friendly style and including more than one hundred exercises, this book is an ideal first course in quantum theory, foundations, and computation for students from undergraduate to PhD level, as well as an opportunity for researchers from a broad range of fields, from physics to biology, linguistics, and cognitive science, to discover a new set of tools for studying processes and interaction.

Preface
1. Introduction
2. Guide to reading this textbook
3. Processes as diagrams
4. String diagrams
5. Hilbert space from diagrams
6. Quantum processes
7. Quantum measurement
8. Picturing classical-quantum processes
9. Picturing phases and complementarity
10. Quantum theory: the full picture
11. Quantum foundations
12. Quantum computation
13. Quantum resources
14. Quantomatic
Appendix A. Some notations
References
Index.

Subject Areas: Programming & scripting languages: general [UMX], Quantum physics [quantum mechanics & quantum field theory PHQ]