Quantum Bits and Quantum Secrets

A concise, "no-frills" introduction to quantum computation and quantum cryptography for non-experts. Rather than concentrating on stories about scientists and philosophical concepts, it provides a step-by-step approach to quantum information. Starting from the idea of quantum cryptography, it presents the basic principles of quantum mechanics and explains how this can be used to make cryptography absolutely secure against eavesdropping. Subsequently, the most important quantum algorithms are explained and technical problems in realizing quantum computers are discussed, followed by a presentation of recent experiments -- some of which are found here in a textbook for the first time.
Easily accessible for undergraduates and graduates -- especially those studying subjects other than physics -- who need an introduction to this rapidly developing topic.Dass es zum Thema Quanteninformation keineswegs nur kryptische Texte geben muss, belegt dieser Band eindrücklich. Studierenden, aber auch interessierten Laien kann er als Schlüssel zu einem der spannendsten und dynamischsten Gebiete der Quantenphysik dienen. Einem Schritt-für-Schritt-Ansatz folgend, führt der Autor in die grundlegenden Prinzipien der Quantenmechanik ein und zeigt u. a., wie sich diese in der Kryptographie im Sinne größtmöglicher Sicherheit einsetzen lassen. Es geht ihm weniger darum, einzelne Forscher und ihre Konzepte vorzustellen, sondern um einen Überblick über das Gebiet selbst. So widmet er sich neben Quantenmechanik und -kryptographie auch Quantenalgorithmen und Quantenfehlerkorrektur und präsentiert einige neue Experimente, die hier zum ersten Mal Eingang in ein Lehrbuch fanden. Schließlich weiht Morsch seine Leser noch in einige "Quantentricks" ein und wagt einen Ausblick in die Zukunft möglicher Quantencomputer. Eine spannende Lektüre - die keinerlei Kenntnisse zur Quanteninformation voraussetzt.

1 Introduction
2 The Colours of the Rainbow -
A Prelude
3 Light, Waves and Oscillations -
Some Useful Facts
4 Nature's Currency -
The Story of the Quantum
5 Surprising Discoveries -
A Glimpse at Quantum Mechanics
6 When Alice Met Bob -
The Principles of Quantum Cryptography
7 The Logic of Superpositions -
How Quantum Computing Works
8 Shor's Revolution -
An Introduction to Quantum Algorithms
9 Promising Prototypes -
How Quantum Computers Might Be Built
10 Sensitive States -
Why Quantum Error Correction is Important
11 Trying the Impossible -
More Quantum Tricks
12 Dream or Reality? -
The Past, Present and Future of Quantum Information Oliver Morsch, born in 1970, received his Ph.D. in physics from Oxford University in 1999. He then accepted a post as senior researcher at the National Research Council of the National Institute for the Physics of Matter in Pisa, Italy. Dr. Morsch's research interests concentrate on ultracold atoms, Bose-Einstein condensation and quantum computers. He works as a freelance science journalist for various newspapers and journals and has published two popular science books with Wiley-VCH. A concise, "no-frills" introduction to quantum computation and quantum cryptography for non-experts. Rather than concentrating on stories about scientists and philosophical concepts, it provides a step-by-step approach to quantum information. Starting from the idea of quantum cryptography, it presents the basic principles of quantum mechanics and explains how this can be used to make cryptography absolutely secure against eavesdropping. Subsequently, technical problems in realizing quantum computers are discussed, followed by a presentation of recent experiments -- some of which are found here in a textbook for the first time.
Easily accessible for undergraduates and graduates -- especially those studying subjects other than physics -- who need an introduction to this rapidly developing topic.