OPTI 647A Photonic Gaussian Information - Foundations of Continuous Variable Quantum Information

This course provides a strong foundation in continuous-variable quantum information, utilizing the recently established Gaussian Quantum Information formalism. It examines the two main approaches in quantum information science. The first, discrete-variable, involves defining qubits from discrete quantum states, while the second, continuous-variable, uses observables with continuous quantities. Historically, quantum computation relied on discrete-variable quantum information, but recent developments have shifted focus to continuous-variable quantum information using boson fields like photons and phonons. This new paradigm is facilitated by existing photonic devices such as amplitude and phase modulators, and homodyne detectors. The course explores photonic fields through second quantization, emphasizing Gaussian quantum information, which impacts areas like computation, communication, sensing, and quantum machine learning.