A reliable large-scale quantum computer, if built, can solve many real-life problems exponentially faster than the existing digital devices. The biggest obstacle to building one is that they are extremely sensitive and error-prone regardless of the selection of physical implementation. Both data storage and data manipulation require careful implementation and precise control due to its quantum mechanical nature. For the development of a practical and scalable computer, it is essential to identify possible quantum errors and reduce them throughout every layer of the hierarchy of quantum computation. In this dissertation, we present our investigation into new methods to reduce errors in quantum computers from three different directions: quantum memory, quantum control, and quantum error correcting codes. For quantum memory, we pursue the potential of the quantum equivalent of a magnetic hard drive using two-body-interaction structures in fractal dimensions. With regard to quantum control, we show that it is possible to arbitrarily reduce error when manipulating multiple quantum bits using a technique popular in nuclear magnetic resonance. Finally, we introduce an efficient tool to study quantum error correcting codes and present analysis of the codes' performance on model quantum architectures.

Open quantum systems refer to systems that are affected by interaction with the environment. The effects of these unwanted interactions, called \emph{quantum noise}, are studied using dynamical maps. We study the geometry of these maps in this work. We review the canonical representations of dynamical maps such as reduced dynamics, $\mathcal{A}$ and $\mathcal{B}$ forms and operator sum representation. We develop a framework for simplifying the action of dynamical maps in terms of their action on the coherence vector associated with the density matrix. We use the framework to describe the geometry of depolarization, dephasing and dissipation in the domain of complete positivity. We give a geometric picture of how two-, three- and four-level systems are affected by these common forms of quantum noises. We show useful similarities between two- and four-level depolarizing maps and give a generalization for $n$-qubits. We also derive important results that restrict dephasing and dissipation. / text

This thesis is concerned with various aspects of ion traps and their use as a quantum simulation and computation device. In its first part we investigate various sources of noise and decoherence in ion traps. As quantum information is very fragile, a detailed knowledge of noise and decoherence sources in a quantum computation device is essential. In the special case of an ion trap quantum computer we investigate the effects of intensity and phase noise in the laser, which is used to perform the gate operations. We then look at other sources of noise which are present without a laser being switched on. These are fluctuations in the trapping frequency caused by noise in the electric potentials applied to the trap and fluctuating electrical fields which will cause heating of the centre-of-mass vibrational state of the ions in the trap. For the case of fluctuating electrical fields we estimate the effect on a quantum gate operation. We then propose a scheme for performing quantum gates without having the ions cooled down to their motional ground state. The second part deals with various aspects of the use of ion traps as a device for quantum computation. We start with the use of ionic qubits as a measurement device for the centre-of-mass vibrational mode and investigate in detail the effect these measurements will have on the vibrational mode. If one wants to use quantum computation devices as systems to simulate quantum mechanics, it is of interest to know how to simulate say a k-level system with N qubits. We investigate the easiest case of this wider problem and look at how to simulate a three-level system (a so called trit) with two qubits in an ion trap quantum computer. We show how to get and measure a SU (3) geometric phase with this toy model. Finally we investigate how to simulate collective angular momentum models with a string of qubits in an ion trap. We assume that the ionic qubits are coupled to a thermal reservoir and derive a master equation for this case. We investigate the semiclassical limit of this master equation and, in the case for two qubits in the trap, determine the entanglement of the steady state. We also outline a way to find the steady state for the master equation using coherence vectors.

This thesis considers the use of quantum mechanics for information security related tasks. Two secure quantum bit commitment protocols are introduced and the security of the protocols against attackers is discussed. The use of quantum entanglement breaking channels for making a protocol secure is considered and some security bounds are given. Entanglement measurement in multipartite systems and a universal entanglement measure are also introduced and discussed. / Graduate

In this thesis, we discuss several phenomena exhibiting `limiting behaviour' in physics. This includes the duality principle, delegated quantum computation, and super-resolution. The duality principle places a limit on the coexistence of wave and particle behaviours. We develop a framework that explains apparent violations of this principle while staying within the scope of quantum mechanics. In addition, we relate the duality principle to the sub-fidelity and weak-values. We also show that the maximum recoverable coherence of a qubit has a sharp transition from 0 to 1 when we have access to half of the environment to which the qubit is correlated. Delegated quantum computation consists of a computational weak client who wishes to delegate a complex quantum computation to a powerful quantum server. We develop a new protocol for delegated quantum computation requiring less quantum power than its predecessor. Finally, we develop and test a new theory for eigenmode super-resolution.

No description available.

<P> Trapped ions are one of the best candidate systems to realize quantum computation. In our laboratory, we are trying to implement quantum computing and information processing: two hyperfine ground-states of magnesium-25 ions will serve as the two-level system to store quantum information. The ions are confined in a linear radio-frequency trap under ultra-high vacuum conditions and will be cooled down to their motional ground-states. By illuminating the ions with frequency-stabilized lasers we will be able to initialize, manipulate, and read out their internal electronic quantum states in a well-controlled way and with high fidelity. In addition, the ions can be made to interact with each other by coupling their internal electronic states to a collective vibrational mode of motion along the trap axis. In this thesis, the focus will be on the process of building a trapped-magnesium-ion quantum information processor. </p> / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

In this thesis, classical computation is first introduced. Finite quantum systems are considered with D-dimensional Hilbert space, and position x and momentum p taking values in Z(D) (the integers modulo D). An analytic rep resentation of finite quantum systems that use Theta function is presented and considered. The first novel part of this thesis is contribution to study reversible classical CNOT gates and their binary inputs and outputs with reversible cir cuits. Furthermore, a reversible classical Toffoli gates are considered, as well as implementation of a Boolean expression with classical CNOT and Toffoli gates. Reversible circuits with classical CNOT and Toffoli gates are also considered. The second novel part of this thesis the study of quantum computation in terms of CNOT and Toffoli gates. Analytic representations and their zeros are considered, while zeros of the inputs and outputs for quantum CNOT and Toffoli gates are studied. Also, approximate computation of their zeros on the output are calculated. Finally, some quantum circuits are discussed. i

We consider the purity-based entanglement detection scheme introduced in [C. Moura Alves and D. Jaksch, Phys. Rev. Lett. 93, 110501 (2004)]. We describe how it could be implemented in an optical lattice using two-atom loss, and prove that in this form it detects all pure entangled states even without any spatial resolution. We then prove that correcting for certain reasonable types of experimental error is possible, and practical for error rates up to the order of one over the number of lattice sites considered. Limited spatial resolution similarly becomes a significant improvement over no spatial resolution only at nearly single site level. We also show how to use this process for state parameter estimation and collapse-revival evidence of entanglement, for which it remains useful even when the error rate is too high to permit unambiguous entanglement detection. We also consider an optical lattice bosonic analogue of the fractional quantum Hall (FQH) effect. This system can reach high “magnetic fields” very difficult to attain in the solid state FQH system, where the discrete nature of the lattice becomes important. Near simple rational numbers l/n of flux quanta per lattice cell, we find that the single particle states become nearly periodic with period n lattice sites, and have an n fold degeneracy which leads to FQH states resembling those of n-internal-state particles. Standard time of flight expansion would reveal this periodicity and be able to distinguish FQH states from vortex lattice or Mott insulator states. Shot noise correlation would provide further information on the nature of the FQH states.

Nesta tese de doutoramento nós tivemos como principal objetivo desenvolver novos métodos para proteção da informação e computação quântica. Começamos, de forma introdutória, ilustrando os conceitos básicos e fundamentais da teoria da informação e computação quântica, como os bits quânticos (qubits), o operador densidade, o emaranhamento e as operações lógicas quânticas. Na seqüência, apresentamos os formalismos utilizados para tratar sistemas abertos, ou seja, sujeitos a erros, além das principais técnicas existentes a fim de proteger a informação quântica, como os códigos de correção de erros, os subespaços livres de erros e o desacoplamento dinâmico. Finalmente, baseando-nos na técnica de desacoplamento dinâmico, introduzimos um esquema de proteção para operações lógicas quânticas e o emaranhamentos entre qubits utilizando campos de alta freqüência. Ilustramos em detalhes a proteção da operação lógica quântica de Hadamard e do emaranhamento entre dois qubits, além de apresentarmos as principais diferenças e vantagens de nosso método quando comparado às técnicas tradicionais de desacoplamento dinâmico. / The main objective of this thesis is the development of a new procedure for quantum information and computation protection. We begin by briefly illustrating the basic concepts of quantum information and computation theory, such as quantum bits (qubits), density matrix operator, entanglement, and quantum logical operations. Subsequently, we present the formalism utilized to treat quantum open systems, i.e., systems subjected to errors, and the main strategies to protect quantum information, such as quantum error correction codes, decoherence-free subspaces, and dynamical decoupling. Finally, based on the dynamical decoupling strategies, we introduce a procedure to protect quantum logical operations and entanglement utilizing high-frequency continuous fields. We illustrate, in details, the protection of a Hadamard quantum gate and of entanglement between two qubits, and present the differences and advantages of our procedure when compared with traditional techniques of dynamical decoupling.