Wondering what all the buzz is about quantum computing? What does it do? How will it change the world? Is it even possible? Professor Andrea Morello, Program Manager in the ARC Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology (CQC2T) at UNSW Sydney unpacks the basic concepts and goals of this hugely important field. In nine videos of less than four minutes each Professor Morello will have you impressing your friends with your solid grasp of spin, entanglement and quantum logic, as well as asking “Where does he get those shirts?”
Quantum Computing Concepts - Binary Logic
Every digital device works on the basis of the simplest possible maths: binary logic. Zeros and ones are the building blocks of the modern information era.In this episode of Quantum Computing Concepts, Professor Andrea Morello of UNSW Australia introduces the basics of classical binary logic, before venturing into the realm of quantum computers.
Quantum Computing Concepts - Quantum Bits
The basic unit of information in a quantum computer is the quantum bit. It shares some features with the familiar “classical” bit, but it also has some very special properties, unique to the quantum world, such as the ability to be in a superposition of 0 and 1. In Quantum Computing Concepts, Professor Andrea Morello of UNSW Australia explains the basic properties and features of quantum bits, before showing how they are put to use in quantum computers.
Quantum Computing Concepts - Quantum Measurement
A fundamental feature of the quantum world is that we cannot, in general, observe (“measure”) a quantum system without disturbing it. This has profound consequences for the operation of quantum computers.
In this episode of Quantum Computing Concepts, Professor Andrea Morello of UNSW Australia explains the basics of quantum measurements, using as an example the orientation of a spin.
Quantum Computing Concepts – Entanglement
Among all the peculiar phenomena encountered in the quantum realm, entanglement is perhaps the most striking one, the most distant from our daily experience. At the same time, entanglement constitutes a precious resource for quantum information.
In this episode of Quantum Computing Concepts, Professor Andrea Morello of UNSW Australia explains what quantum entanglement is, and shows how to create it using a pair of spins.
Quantum Computing Concepts – Quantum Algorithms
The reason why a quantum computer can massively outperform a classical one is that it can run special algorithms which operate on quantum superpositions of the input values, and arrive at the final result in a much smaller number of steps compared to their classical counterpart.
In this episode of Quantum Computing Concepts, Professor Andrea Morello of UNSW Australia illustrates the power of quantum computers with an example of great practical use: the quantum search algorithm.
Quantum Computing Concepts – Quantum Hardware
The hardware required to build and operate a quantum computer is quite different from that of everyday’s machines. Depending on the specific implementation, it can consist of powerful magnets, ultra-low temperature refrigerators, high-frequency generators and nanometre-scale transistors and electrodes.
In this episode of Quantum Computing Concepts, Professor Andrea Morello of UNSW Australia introduces the basic hardware components of a quantum computer, and shows how they differ or resemble existing pieces of hardware.
Quantum Computing Concepts – Quantum Logic
Digital information in any computer is processed through the application of logic operations. Something similar happens in quantum computers, but the laws of quantum mechanics impose special rules on which operations are allowed.
In this episode of Quantum Computing Concepts, Professor Andrea Morello of UNSW Australia introduces the concept of quantum logic operations, and illustrates how to implement them using a pair of spins.
Quantum Computing Concepts – Spin
The spin is an intrinsic quantum property of subatomic particles like electrons, protons and neutrons. It is also the simplest physical example of a quantum bit, and the easiest to visualise. In this
episode of Quantum Computing Concepts, Professor Andrea Morello of UNSW Australia illustrates the basic properties of spins, and how their quantum state can be manipulated to encode quantum information.
Quantum Computing Concepts – What will a quantum computer do?
If we had a large-scale quantum computer, what would we do with it? We are only scratching the surface of what quantum computers can do, and more applications will become evident once we have them at hand, but already now there are some interesting problems where we know that only a quantum computer can provide the solution.
In this episode of Quantum Computing Concepts, Professor Andrea Morello of UNSW Australia describes some of the applications of quantum computers we know of today, such as quantum simulations of complex molecules.
