Volterra-CIRM International School

Quantum Computer and  Quantum Information

                     Trento, Italy, July 25-31, 2001

       Centro V. Volterra Roma, Universita' di Roma Tor Vergata
Centro Internazionale per la Ricerca Matematica (CIRM),
                            Istituto Trentino di Cultura
 

The theory of quantum information and computing is undergoing a tremendous
development in the past years. The activity in this field is now beginning to go beyond the
academic environment and to involve industries who try to transform into effective products
some of the proposals of the quantum information community.

In the development of classical information and computer theory mathematicians, from Pascal
to Babbage, from von Neumann to Kolmogorov, have given outstanding contributions.

The problems coming from the quantum analogues of these theories are not less deep and
fascinating for mathematicians, physicists, engineers, computer scientists who are not afraid of multidisciplinary interactions.

Among these problems:

-- What is quantum information?

-- Is quantum information qualitatively different from classical information?
   If such differences exist, how are they reflected in the measurement, coding and decoding of
   this information?

-- What is a quantum algorithm? can some quantum algorithms qualitatively outperform classical
   algorithms?

-- Can we effectively build some physical devices to implement the new algorithms?

The school will be addressed to these questions with particular emphasis on clarity of exposition
and precise definitions of the notions involved. The topics dealt with will be include:

1) tutorial of finite-dimensional quantum mechanics

2) tutorial of classical computational complexity theory: complexity classes, polynomial
   algorithms, P and NP problems: basic examples

3) general principles of quantum computation (q-bits, quantum circuits, computational bases,
   gates, quantum Fourier transform, ...)

4) the three (at the moment) best known quantum algorithms: Schor, Grover, Ohya-Masuda.
   Their description, structural differences, complexity

5) Classical and quantum codes

6) Quantum cryptography

7) Information, entropy and capacity: classical and quantum

8) Teleportation

9) Introduction to quantum filtering and control
 

Main lecturers:

L. Accardi (Università degli Studi di Roma "Tor Vergata'')

V. Belavkin (Nottingham University)

M. Ohya    (Tokyo Science University)

K.R. Parthasarathy (Indian Statistical Institute)

D. Petz    (Technical University of Budapest)

I. Volovich (Steklov Institute Moscow)

Additional seminars will be announced during the school.

The school will be held in Trento.
In the heart of the great itineraries between Venice-Verona and Bolzano-Innsbruck,
Trento is a Renaissance town in the Alps. Roman town and bridge between the Italian
and European culture, Trento shows in its beautiful monuments (the Castle Buonconsiglio,
the Duomo, the houses decorated by frescoes) the Renaissance influence, inherited by the
Prince Bishops, who ruled the town for eight centuries and made of Trento the seat of the
XIX Ecumenical Council during the 16th century.

- Participation fee: 800.000 italian lire (i.e. 400 Ecu or 375 US Dollars) inclusive of: full
accomodation and meals, coffee breaks, social trip, lecture notes.

A restricted number of grants for financial support of either living or (in truly exceptional
cases) travel expenses are available. The assignment of these grants will be decided on June 30.
The deadline for Applications is:JUNE 20.

Those interested to apply for such a grant should send via e-mail the Application Form to:

Mr. Micheletti Augusto
Secretary of the School
CIRM
Istituto Trentino di Cultura
38050 Povo (Trento), Italy

michelet@alpha.science.unitn.it          Fax 0039/0461/810629          Tel. 0039/0461/881628