Quantum Computation and Quantum Information (Cambridge Series on Information and the Natural Sciences)

This text is the first comprehensive introduction to the main ideas and techniques of the field of quantum computation and quantum information. Michael Nielsen and Isaac Chuang ask the question: what are the ultimate physical limits to computation and communication? They describe in detail such remarkable effects as fast quantum algorithms, quantum teleportation, quantum cryptography and quantum error-correction. A wealth of accompanying figures and exercises illustrate and develop the material in more depth. The authors describe what a quantum computer is, how it can be used to solve problems faster than familiar 'classical' computers, and the real-world implementation of quantum computers. The book concludes with an in-depth treatment of quantum information, explaining how quantum states can be used to perform remarkable feats of communication, together with a discussion of how it is possible to protect quantum states against the effects of noise.