Quantum Information Processing: An Essential Primer

TL;DR

This primer introduces fundamental concepts of quantum information science, explaining how quantum information is represented, processed, and measured, with emphasis on entropy, communication, and quantum correlations, suitable for newcomers without prior quantum mechanics knowledge.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive, accessible overview of quantum information processing fundamentals, including key theoretical notions and illustrative examples, for beginners in the field.

Findings

Quantum information can be represented and processed using basic quantum states.

Quantum correlations demonstrate the power of quantum information.

Foundations of quantum entropy, sources, and channels are essential for secure communication.

Abstract

Quantum information science is an exciting, wide, rapidly progressing, cross-disciplinary field, and that very nature makes it both attractive and hard to enter. In this primer, we first provide answers to the three essential questions that any newcomer needs to know: How is quantum information represented? How is quantum information processed? How is classical information extracted from quantum states? We then introduce the most basic quantum information theoretic notions concerning entropy, sources, and channels, as well as secure communications and error correction. We conclude with examples that illustrate the power of quantum correlations. No prior knowledge of quantum mechanics is assumed.