CMSC/PHYS 457 Introduction to Quantum Computing, Spring 2021 : Syllabus

Week 1 (Jan 25 - Jan 29): From classical to quantum information. Quantum mechanics.

• Lecture 1 (01/25/21): Introduction of the course (note). Linear algebra backgrounds (our cheatsheet). Reading: KLM Chap 1 and Chap 2.1-2.6.

• Lecture 2 (01/27/21): mathematical formulation of quantum mechanics. Reading: KLM Chap 3.1.

• Logistics: Please find your group member as soon as possible.

Week 2 (Feb 1 - Feb 5): Quantum mechanics.

• Lecture 3 (02/01/21): mathematical formulation of quantum mechanics. Reading: KLM Chap 3.1-3.3.

• Lecture 4 (02/03/21): mathematical formulation of quantum mechanics. Reading: KLM Chap 3.4. No-cloning theorem

• Logistics: Assignment 0 and 1 due on 02/05/21.

Week 3 (Feb 8 - Feb 12): Quantum protocols.

• Lecture 5 (02/08/21): teleportation and super-dense coding. Reading: KLM Chap 5.1-5.2.

• Lecture 6 (02/10/21): quantum Zeno Effect and Elitzur-Vaidman Bomb. Reading: Aaronson's Lecture 4

• Logistics: Project proposal due on 02/12/21.

Week 4 (Feb 15 - Feb 19): Quantum circuits.

• Lecture 7 (02/15/21): basic quantum circuits/gates. universal gate sets. Reading: KLM Chap 4.

• Lecture 8 (02/17/21): universal gate sets. Reading: KLM Chap 4. Further Reading: Nielsen and Chung Chap 4.1 - 4.6. Note on the Solovay-Kitaev theorem by Ozols

• Logistics: Assignment 2 due on 02/19/21. Project finalized by 02/19/21.

Week 5 (Feb 22 - Feb 26): Quantum algorithms.

• Lecture 9 (02/22/21): quantum query model and Deutsch-Josza algorithm. Reading: Gharibian-Lec-06

• Lecture 10 (02/24/21): Simon's algorithm. Reading: Watrous-06-Lec 6

• Logistics:

Week 6 (Mar 1 - Mar 5): Lab 1 & Grover's algorithms.

• Lecture 11 (03/01/21): Lab 1: demonstration of coding quantum protocols and algorithms.

• Lecture 12 (03/03/21): Grover's algorithm. Reading: Watrous-06-Lec 12 Watrous-06-Lec 13

• Logistics: Assignment 3 due on 03/05/21.

Week 7 (Mar 8 - Mar 12): Quantum algorithms (cont'd).

• Lecture 13 (03/08/21): Grover's algorithm: applications and the lower bound. Reading: van Melkebeek-Lec-07 Aaronson's Lecture 23

• Lecture 14 (03/10/21): Exam I.

• Logistics: Good luck with the exam!

Week 8 (Mar 14 - Mar 21): Spring Break! Enjoy!

Week 9 (Mar 22 - Mar 26): Shor's algorithm.

• Lecture 15 (03/22/21): quantum Fourier transform and quantum phase estimation. Reading: Watrous-06-Lec 8 Watrous-06-Lec 9

• Lecture 16 (03/24/21): quantum algorithm for order finding. Reading: Watrous-06-Lec 10

• Logistics: Assignment 4 due on 03/31/21.

Week 10 (Mar 29 - Apr 2): Lab 2 & Shor's algorithm (cont'd)

• Lecture 17 (03/29/21): Shor's algorithm. Reading: Watrous-06-Lec 11

• Lecture 18 (03/31/21): Lab 2: demonstration of coding quantum protocols and algorithms.

• Logistics: Project mid-term report due by 04/02/21.

Week 11 (Apr 5 - Apr 9): Mixed states, Quantum operations, and Quantum Entanglements

• Lecture 19 (04/05/21): mixed states, density operators, quantum entanglement. Reading: KLM 3.5, Watrous-06-Lec 14. Further Reading TQI Chapter 2.

• Lecture 20 (04/07/21): quantum operations. Reading: KLM 3.5, Watrous-06-Lec 15. Further Reading TQI Chapter 2.

• Logistics: Coding Assignment due 04/09/21.

Week 12 (Apr 12 - Apr 16): Quantum Error Correction

• Lecture 21 (04/12/21): KLM 10.1 - 10.4, Watrous-06-16.pdf

• Lecture 22 (04/14/21): KLM 10.1 - 10.4, Watrous-06-16.pdf

• Logistics: Assignment 5 due on 04/21/21.

Week 13 (Apr 19 - Apr 23): Variational Quantum Methods.

• Lecture 23 (04/19/21): Variational Quantum Methods I.

• Lecture 24 (04/21/21): Variational Quantum Methods II.

• Logistics: Project slides due on 04/23/21.

Week 14 (Apr 26 - Apr 30): Formal Verification of Quantum Programs with Coq

• Lecture 25 (04/26/21): Formal Verification of Quantum Programs I.

• Lecture 26 (04/28/21): Formal Verification of Quantum Programs II.

• Logistics:

Week 15 (May 3 - May 7): Project Presentation and Peer Review

• Lecture 27 (05/05/21): Exam II.

• Project slides due on 04/23/21.

• Recorded Presentation (due on): 05/03/21.

• Peer Review (due on): 05/10/21.

Week 16: Exam Week: course project report due on 05/17/21 !