Quantum theory, the Church-Turing principle and the universal quantum computer
08 Jul 1985-Proceedings of The Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences (The Royal Society)-Vol. 400, Iss: 1818, pp 97-117
TL;DR: In this paper, it is argued that underlying the Church-Turing hypothesis there is an implicit physical assertion: every finitely realizable physical system can be perfectly simulated by a universal model computing machine operating by finite means.
Abstract: It is argued that underlying the Church-Turing hypothesis there is an implicit physical assertion. Here, this assertion is presented explicitly as a physical principle: ‘every finitely realizable physical system can be perfectly simulated by a universal model computing machine operating by finite means’. Classical physics and the universal Turing machine, because the former is continuous and the latter discrete, do not obey the principle, at least in the strong form above. A class of model computing machines that is the quantum generalization of the class of Turing machines is described, and it is shown that quantum theory and the ‘universal quantum computer’ are compatible with the principle. Computing machines resembling the universal quantum computer could, in principle, be built and would have many remarkable properties not reproducible by any Turing machine. These do not include the computation of non-recursive functions, but they do include ‘quantum parallelism’, a method by which certain probabilistic tasks can be performed faster by a universal quantum computer than by any classical restriction of it. The intuitive explanation of these properties places an intolerable strain on all interpretations of quantum theory other than Everett’s. Some of the numerous connections between the quantum theory of computation and the rest of physics are explored. Quantum complexity theory allows a physically more reasonable definition of the ‘complexity’ or ‘knowledge’ in a physical system than does classical complexity theory.
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TL;DR: In this article, a common pattern underpinning quantum algorithms can be identified when quantum computation is viewed as multiparticle interference, and an explicit algorithm for generating any prescribed interference pattern with an arbitrary precision is provided.
Abstract: Quantum computers use the quantum interference of different computational paths to enhance correct outcomes and suppress erroneous outcomes of computations. A common pattern underpinning quantum algorithms can be identified when quantum computation is viewed as multiparticle interference. We use this approach to review (and improve) some of the existing quantum algorithms and to show how they are related to different instances of quantum phase estimation. We provide an explicit algorithm for generating any prescribed interference pattern with an arbitrary precision.
1,118 citations
TL;DR: Experiments show that just a few entangled trapped ions can be used to improve the precision of measurements, and if the entanglement in such systems can be scaled up to larger numbers of ions, simulations that are intractable on a classical computer might become possible.
Abstract: To process information using quantum-mechanical principles, the states of individual particles need to be entangled and manipulated. One way to do this is to use trapped, laser-cooled atomic ions. Attaining a general-purpose quantum computer is, however, a distant goal, but recent experiments show that just a few entangled trapped ions can be used to improve the precision of measurements. If the entanglement in such systems can be scaled up to larger numbers of ions, simulations that are intractable on a classical computer might become possible.
1,111 citations
TL;DR: The authors give an exposition of Shor's algorithm together with an introduction to quantum computation and complexity theory, and discuss experiments that may contribute to its practical implementation.
Abstract: Current technology is beginning to allow us to manipulate rather than just observe individual quantum phenomena. This opens up the possibility of exploiting quantum effects to perform computations beyond the scope of any classical computer. Recently Peter Shor discovered an efficient algorithm for factoring whole numbers, which uses characteristically quantum effects. The algorithm illustrates the potential power of quantum computation, as there is no known efficient classical method for solving this problem. The authors give an exposition of Shor's algorithm together with an introduction to quantum computation and complexity theory. They discuss experiments that may contribute to its practical implementation. [S0034-6861(96)00303-0]
1,079 citations
Book•
06 Feb 2017TL;DR: The author develops all of the tools necessary for understanding important results in quantum information theory, including capacity theorems for classical, entanglement-assisted, private and quantum communication.
Abstract: Finally, here is a modern, self-contained text on quantum information theory suitable for graduate-level courses. Developing the subject 'from the ground up' it covers classical results as well as major advances of the past decade. Beginning with an extensive overview of classical information theory suitable for the non-expert, the author then turns his attention to quantum mechanics for quantum information theory, and the important protocols of teleportation, super-dense coding and entanglement distribution. He develops all of the tools necessary for understanding important results in quantum information theory, including capacity theorems for classical, entanglement-assisted, private and quantum communication. The book also covers important recent developments such as superadditivity of private, coherent and Holevo information, and the superactivation of quantum capacity. This book will be warmly welcomed by the upcoming generation of quantum information theorists and the already established community of classical information theorists.
1,035 citations
TL;DR: The physical limits of computation as determined by the speed of light c, the quantum scale ℏ and the gravitational constant G are explored.
Abstract: Computers are physical systems: the laws of physics dictate what they can and cannot do. In particular, the speed with which a physical device can process information is limited by its energy and the amount of information that it can process is limited by the number of degrees of freedom it possesses. Here I explore the physical limits of computation as determined by the speed of light c, the quantum scale h and the gravitational constant G. As an example, I put quantitative bounds to the computational power of an 'ultimate laptop' with a mass of one kilogram confined to a volume of one litre.
1,020 citations
References
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TL;DR: In this article, it was shown that even without such a separability or locality requirement, no hidden variable interpretation of quantum mechanics is possible and that such an interpretation has a grossly nonlocal structure, which is characteristic of any such theory which reproduces exactly the quantum mechanical predictions.
Abstract: THE paradox of Einstein, Podolsky and Rosen [1] was advanced as an argument that quantum mechanics could not be a complete theory but should be supplemented by additional variables These additional variables were to restore to the theory causality and locality [2] In this note that idea will be formulated mathematically and shown to be incompatible with the statistical predictions of quantum mechanics It is the requirement of locality, or more precisely that the result of a measurement on one system be unaffected by operations on a distant system with which it has interacted in the past, that creates the essential difficulty There have been attempts [3] to show that even without such a separability or locality requirement no "hidden variable" interpretation of quantum mechanics is possible These attempts have been examined elsewhere [4] and found wanting Moreover, a hidden variable interpretation of elementary quantum theory [5] has been explicitly constructed That particular interpretation has indeed a grossly nonlocal structure This is characteristic, according to the result to be proved here, of any such theory which reproduces exactly the quantum mechanical predictions
10,253 citations
Book•
01 Jan 1934
TL;DR: The Open Society and Its Enemies as discussed by the authors is regarded as one of Popper's most enduring books and contains insights and arguments that demand to be read to this day, as well as many of the ideas in the book.
Abstract: Described by the philosopher A.J. Ayer as a work of 'great originality and power', this book revolutionized contemporary thinking on science and knowledge. Ideas such as the now legendary doctrine of 'falsificationism' electrified the scientific community, influencing even working scientists, as well as post-war philosophy. This astonishing work ranks alongside The Open Society and Its Enemies as one of Popper's most enduring books and contains insights and arguments that demand to be read to this day.
7,904 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the concept of black-hole entropy was introduced as a measure of information about a black hole interior which is inaccessible to an exterior observer, and it was shown that the entropy is equal to the ratio of the black hole area to the square of the Planck length times a dimensionless constant of order unity.
Abstract: There are a number of similarities between black-hole physics and thermodynamics. Most striking is the similarity in the behaviors of black-hole area and of entropy: Both quantities tend to increase irreversibly. In this paper we make this similarity the basis of a thermodynamic approach to black-hole physics. After a brief review of the elements of the theory of information, we discuss black-hole physics from the point of view of information theory. We show that it is natural to introduce the concept of black-hole entropy as the measure of information about a black-hole interior which is inaccessible to an exterior observer. Considerations of simplicity and consistency, and dimensional arguments indicate that the black-hole entropy is equal to the ratio of the black-hole area to the square of the Planck length times a dimensionless constant of order unity. A different approach making use of the specific properties of Kerr black holes and of concepts from information theory leads to the same conclusion, and suggests a definite value for the constant. The physical content of the concept of black-hole entropy derives from the following generalized version of the second law: When common entropy goes down a black hole, the common entropy in the black-hole exterior plus the black-hole entropy never decreases. The validity of this version of the second law is supported by an argument from information theory as well as by several examples.
6,591 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors apply Godel's seminal contribution to modern mathematics to the study of the human mind and the development of artificial intelligence, and apply it to the case of artificial neural networks.
Abstract: From the Publisher:
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, this book applies Godel's seminal contribution to modern mathematics to the study of the human mind and the development of artificial intelligence.
1,983 citations
TL;DR: For systems with negligible self-gravity, the bound follows from application of the second law of thermodynamics to a gedanken experiment involving a black hole as discussed by the authors, and it is shown that black holes have the maximum entropy for given mass and size which is allowed by quantum theory and general relativity.
Abstract: We present evidence for the existence of a universal upper bound of magnitude $\frac{2\ensuremath{\pi}R}{\ensuremath{\hbar}c}$ to the entropy-to-energy ratio $\frac{S}{E}$ of an arbitrary system of effective radius $R$. For systems with negligible self-gravity, the bound follows from application of the second law of thermodynamics to a gedanken experiment involving a black hole. Direct statistical arguments are also discussed. A microcanonical approach of Gibbons illustrates for simple systems (gravitating and not) the reason behind the bound, and the connection of $R$ with the longest dimension of the system. A more general approach establishes the bound for a relativistic field system contained in a cavity of arbitrary shape, or in a closed universe. Black holes also comply with the bound; in fact they actually attain it. Thus, as long suspected, black holes have the maximum entropy for given mass and size which is allowed by quantum theory and general relativity.
1,079 citations