Quantum Computing


For Quantum Computing, an understanding of Quantum Physics (often "Quantum Mechanics") is essential. Without that, you are lost. More precisely: Quantum Physics is the most accurate description of reality, so no physical or philosophical reasoning can avoid QM.

Unfortunately, QM is also the most demanding branch of physics. You can't do without elaborate mathematics: Linear Algebra, Functional Analysis, Group Theory, to name a few. However, there are approachs to the layman, as for instance Feynman's "QED" or Deutsch's "Fabric of Reality". These are not the complete story but a good point to start with.

Quantum Computing is an entirely different paradigma as compared to classical computing. Forget the Turing Machine - for it does not exist. The theory of computation is Quantum Computation and nothing else, and Quantum Computing is the unitary evolution of quantum states. So Quantum Computing means: make different branches of reality, decoherent to each other, compute something and have the wrong answers sorted out by destructive interference. And for considering where the computing takes place, you may find the Many World Interpretation (MWI) of Quantum Physics most acceptable, or you may even take the advanced viewpoint of Julian Barbour.

If you are not frightened by the philosophical perspectives, probably nothing will frighten you, ever.

Here, I list some of those resources and texts which I found to be helpful. I also give some comments, where aprobriate, in the corresponding language. Mail me if I goofed somewhere.

These informations are by no means complete. I will categorize them if I find the time.


  1. David Deutsch: "The Fabric of Reality" / "Die Physik der Welterkenntnis"

    This is a book which David Deutsch does not intend to publish in the Web at full length. No math, very entertaining, giving some insight into how the concepts of knowledge, evolution, computation and the multiverse reality merge into a deeper understanding of reality. The philosophically discussions are sometimes hard to follow. Recommended.

    You can buy the books at Amazon

  2. David Deutsch's Homepage

    Yes, he has a homepage. Many Quantum Computation Links from there.

  3. Julian Brown: "Minds, Machines and the Multiverse : The Quest for the Quantum Computer

    This book is a sequel to DD's book. It is somewhat more technical, but still an easy read. You may learn some "wiring" of quantum gates, and some quantum algorithms. Recommended.

    You can buy the books at Amazon

    Here we have the first chapter. I am afraid no further web-publication is intended.

  4. Julian Barbour: "The End of Time"

    A most interesting view onto the world without time - and how the illusion of the existence of time emerges. Without math, but there is hard physics behind the scenery. Physical Background is helpful in understanding the book, otherwise, it is not distinguishable from magic.

  5. Lee Smolin: "Three Roads to Quantum Gravity"

    Without math. Current state of the marriage between relativity and quantum-theory.

  6. The Everett-FAQ

    A good introduction to many worlds interpretation. Gives some taste of quantum mechanics.

  7. A tutorial on Quantum Computing

    Explains how reversible computers work, shows some reversible logic diagrams, and outlines a quantum algorithm. In some places some math.

  8. A crash course in Quantum Physics

    Maybe not quite enough for a diploma in physics. Do you like vector spaces?

  9. A mathematical discussion of Everett's ideas

    You're on the way of making feel yourself at home in Hilbert Space! Recommended.

  10. Anmerkungen zur QuantenMechanik (german)

    Very hard to understand - only for the mainstream-physicist.

  11. The centre for Quantum Computing in Oxford

    There are more research places about the subject in the world than this one, of course. David Deutsch works here. Many Links.

  12. John Gribbins HomePage

    A gifted scientist and science writer. His books I may also recommend.

  13. Feynman Online

    What physics site could be complete without him?

  14. A many-worlds page

  15. Another many-worlds page

  16. Quantum Computation

    More Links.

  17. Decoherence website

  18. The Direction of Time

    Preview onto the preliminary "fourth edition". Good knowledge in physics required.

  19. A Brief History of Quantum Computing

    Links, and some literature evaluation.

  20. Quantum Computation Archive

  21. Quantum Philosophy

  22. Grover's Algorithm

  23. Quantum Computer Development

  24. Quantum Information at Los Alamos National Laboratory

    Yes, it's the Los Alamos.

  25. Quantum Information Literature

    Probably many hidden treasures.

  26. Quantum Computing with Molecules

    Easy.

  27. Physik FAQ (german)

    A few physics resources at the university of Hannover in Germany.

  28. Alan Turing Home Page

    Although the Quest for the Quantum Computer told us that the Turing Machine does not exist, this homepage deserves to be here.

  29. Max-Planck-Institut fuer QuantenOptik (german)

  30. The superconducting Schroedinger Cat (SQUID)

  31. Another introduction to Quantum Computing

  32. Another introduction to Quantum Computing

    Interesting view on how quantum algorithms manage to make their results available in all universes.

  33. Flip Your Bit

    Sort of entertaining.

  34. Quantentheorie und Gravitation (german)

    Ein Überblick über konzeptuelle Probleme.

  35. EPR-Paradoxon und Bellsche Ungleichung (german)

  36. Das Unteilbare, von Jörg Resag (german)

    Das ganze Buch ist gut lesbar. Die Bellsche Ungleichung wird in Kapitel 3.8 sehr eingehend diskutiert.

  37. Renormalization Made Easy

    "Easy" is relative in non-relativistic QM.

  38. QCL - A Programming Language for Quantum Computers

    A real implementation of a Quantum Computing Language can be found here - anyone with a Linux can try it at once. - Quantum effects, I guess, are simulated, so be prepared that you can write the algorithm to factor a 500-digit number, but probably the computation will not be finished in your lifetime.

  39. FAQ about Quantum Computating

    Many links - but the design of the page is - uh - "creative".

  40. Entropy on the World Wide Web

    It never hurts to know something about thermodynamics.

  41. Entropy on the World Wide Web

    It never hurts to know something about thermodynamics. About the same content as the link before.

  42. The Quantum Pages of James Higgo

    Some interesting links from there, among them:

  43. A Lazy Layman's Guide to Quantum Physics

    Easy. - Regretably, James Higgo died in 2001 in a plane-crash.

  44. Simulating Quantum Circuits on a Parallel Machine

    Some obvious errors, but otherwise worthwhile reading.

  45. Quantum Physics and Enlightenment

    From Quantum Physics to Buddhism. Not to my taste, but interesting.

  46. The Many-Worlds Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics

    Easy again.

  47. MWI by Lev Vaidman

  48. A discussion of the concept of identity in Quantum Physics

  49. Quantum Information Processing Group in Clausthal University

    Some links and some interesting papers.


© 2000 Herwig Huener 2001-01-06 00:33:00 MET
© 2000 Herwig Huener 2001-11-19 23:59:59 MET
© 2000 Herwig Huener 2002-09-02 02:59:59 MEST


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