A Student’s Guide to Quantum Computing

This textbook provides a self-contained introduction to the principles and methods of quantum computation, designed for advanced undergraduate and graduate students. It introduces classical logic and quantum mechanics before presenting their integration in quantum computation.

Key topics include quantum logic gates, foundational algorithms such as Deutsch-Jozsa and Bernstein-Vazirani, the quantum Fourier transform, and quantum search algorithms. Additional coverage includes quantum operations, error correction techniques, and physical implementations of quantum computation using technologies such as trapped ions and superconducting qubits. The book concludes with an examination of quantum computation through adiabatic evolution.

The text is supplemented with exercises, solutions, and practical examples to support learning and application. It serves as a foundational resource for students and researchers pursuing studies in quantum computing and related fields.

Stefano Olivares is a physicist with expertise in quantum optics and quantum information, focusing on the optical implementation of quantum information processing. He earned his PhD in Physics from the University of Milan and is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Physics. Since 2012, he has taught Quantum Computing for graduate-level courses and, more recently, Thermodynamics for undergraduate physics students.

Prof. Olivares has made significant contributions to the study of quantum state generation, characterization, and application, quantum interferometry and sensing, and the dynamics of quantum properties under decoherence. His work also encompasses quantum state and operation estimation, as well as quantum communication and quantum key distribution.