PHYS 513 :: Physics Illinois :: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Course Description
This class will necessarily be a bit different than most others you might have taken, as it is based on what is essentially a fairly new, but very, very rapidly growing, field -- quantum information. We will first look at some of the foundations behind the new ideas. Most of the physics is all fairly basic quantum mechanics. My approach will be to present the ideas as simply as possible, and to demonstrate them with relevant experiments, many of them optical. Some of you will undoubtedly find my approach too focused on experiments. I will try in the readings from the course text as well as the problem sets to hit some of the theoretical topics.
My goal at the end of the course is that you will have a working familiarity with the basic underlying concepts, be able to read new articles in the field with moderate comprehension, and have the sense that you have attended a recent conference on quantum information (in any given year there are now probably more than 40 totally devoted to the topic, and more than double this if we count sessions at larger conferences); or if you actually DO attend such a conference, you can follow a fair fraction of it.
Texts
I have chosen as "required text" the book Quantum Computation & Quantum Information by Michael Nielsen and Isaac Chuang. It provides a rather comprehensive overview of quantum computation and quantum communication, including much of the theoretical background you should know, though it is definitely focused more on the theoretical underpinnings than on experimental implementations. I intend to give reading assignments and some problems out of it (starting on HW#3). However, it is not really appropriate for the first part of the course -- the basic quantum optics that underpins much of the latter development of quantum information. Therefore, in addition, every week I will assign several papers, relevant to the week's discussion. These will usually be of some "historic" importance, i.e., papers that anyone in the field should have read at some point, or “new results” papers, to discuss recent progress in the field. You should plan to read all these; you might not always follow all the pieces (since we will be covering far too broad an area for a full understanding of every aspect of every piece), but will hopefully glean the relevant information.
Additional texts
There are a number of additional references that you may find helpful, enlightening, or just plain fascinating! The main one I recommend, which focuses on the experimental side of quantum information (though, being 19 years old, it is now quite out of date!), is:
"The Physics of Quantum Information", eds. D. Bouwmeester, A. Ekert, and A. Zeilinger, Springer (2000).
Another which is readily available is the course notes from a somewhat similar course by Professors John Preskill and Alexei Kitaev at CalTech. These may be downloaded free of charge from:
https://preskill.caltech.edu/ph229/
Several others are held on reserve at the library (numbers in parens are the required 'call numbers', which you will need at the desk):
Lo, H., Spiller, T., & Popescu S., Introduction to Quantum Information. (004.1 In83)
Mandel, L. & Wolf, E., Optical Coherence & Quantum Optics. (535.2 M312O)
Wheeler, J.A. & Zurek, W. H., Quantum Theory. (530.12 Q258)
The Physics of Quantum Information, eds. D. Bouwmeester, A. Ekert, and A. Zeilinger, Springer (2000). (004.1 P569)
Michael Nielsen and Isaac Chuang, Quantum Computation & Quantum Information (511.8 N554q)
Additional Course Policies
Academic Integrity
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Student Code should also be considered as a part of this syllabus. Students should pay particular attention to Article 1, Part 4: Academic Integrity. Read the Code at the following URL: http://studentcode.illinois.edu/.
Academic dishonesty may result in a failing grade. Every student is expected to review and abide by the Academic Integrity Policy: https://studentcode.illinois.edu/article1/part4/1-401/. Ignorance is not an excuse for any academic dishonesty. It is your responsibility to read this policy to avoid any misunderstanding. Do not hesitate to ask the instructor(s) if you are ever in doubt about what constitutes plagiarism, cheating, or any other breach of academic integrity.
The Use of AI
Generative AI, such as ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and Gemini, can answer questions and generate text, images, and other media. The appropriate use of generative AI varies from course to course. In 513, there are times when generative AI may be useful in the course, to aid in your understanding. However, you should NOT use it for completing homework -- you will be cheating yourself of the education you paid for. And equally importantly, my own recent tests show that it's still likely to get the wrong answer a significant fraction of the time.
Religious Observances
Illinois law requires the University to reasonably accommodate its students' religious beliefs, observances, and practices in regard to admissions, class attendance, and the scheduling of examinations and work requirements. You should examine this syllabus at the beginning of the semester for potential conflicts between course deadlines and any of your religious observances. If a conflict exists, you should notify your instructor of the conflict and follow the procedure at https://odos.illinois.edu/community-of-care/resources/students/religious-observances/ to request appropriate accommodations. This should be done in the first two weeks of classes.
Disability-Related Accommodations
To obtain disability-related academic adjustments and/or auxiliary aids, students with disabilities must contact the course instructor and the Disability Resources and Educational Services (DRES) as soon as possible. To contact DRES, you may visit 1207 S. Oak St., Champaign, call 333-4603, e-mail disability@illinois.edu or go to https://www.disability.illinois.edu. If you are concerned you have a disability-related condition that is impacting your academic progress, there are academic screening appointments available that can help diagnosis a previously undiagnosed disability. You may access these by visiting the DRES website and selecting “Request an Academic Screening” at the bottom of the page.
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
Any student who has suppressed their directory information pursuant to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) should self-identify to the instructor to ensure the protection of the privacy of their attendance in this course. See https://registrar.illinois.edu/academic-records/ferpa/ for more information on FERPA.