A quantum computer stores and processes information using the rules of quantum mechanics — superposition, interference and entanglement — rather than the definite 0s and 1s of an ordinary computer. For certain problems that lets it explore an exponentially large space of possibilities at once and, with careful interference, steer the answer out — solving in minutes what would take a classical machine longer than the age of the universe.

This master's-level course builds the subject from the ground up — from the single qubit and the mathematics of superposition, through quantum gates, entanglement and the great algorithms (Deutsch–Jozsa, Grover, Shor), to quantum error correction, physical hardware and applications. It assumes fluency with linear algebra, complex numbers and probability, and runs alongside the physics quantum mechanics course.

This course is being written. Lessons already available are linked; topics still to come are shown as greyed todo placeholders so the full syllabus is visible.

Module 0 — Mathematical foundations

3. Inner product spaces
5. Dirac bra-ket notation
9. Operators and adjoints
10. The spectral theorem

Module 1 — Qubits and superposition

Module 2 — Multiple qubits and entanglement

Module 3 — Gates and circuits

Module 4 — Quantum protocols

Module 5 — Quantum algorithms

Module 6 — Quantum complexity

Module 7 — Noise, decoherence and error correction

Module 8 — Physical hardware

Module 9 — Cryptography and applications

Begin → The Qubit