Quantum information science

Interdisciplinary theory behind quantum computing

Part of a series of articles about

Quantum mechanics
i ℏ d d t | Ψ ⟩ = H ^ | Ψ ⟩ {\displaystyle i\hbar {\frac {d}{dt}}|\Psi \rangle ={\hat {H}}|\Psi \rangle }

Schrödinger equation

* Introduction
* Glossary
* History

Background

* Classical mechanics
* Old quantum theory
* Bra–ket notation

* Hamiltonian
* Interference

Fundamentals

* Complementarity
* Decoherence
* Entanglement
* Energy level
* Measurement
* Nonlocality
* Quantum number
* State
* Superposition
* Symmetry
* Tunnelling
* Uncertainty
* Wave function
* Collapse

Experiments

* Bell's inequality
* CHSH inequality
* Davisson-Germer
* Double-slit
* Elitzur-Vaidman
* Franck-Hertz
* Leggett inequality
* Leggett–Garg inequality
* Mach-Zehnder
* Popper

* Quantum eraser
* Delayed-choice

* Schrödinger's cat
* Stern-Gerlach
* Wheeler's delayed-choice

Formulations

* Overview

* Heisenberg
* Interaction
* Matrix
* Phase-space
* Schrödinger
* Sum-over-histories (path integral)

Equations

* Dirac
* Klein–Gordon
* Pauli
* Rydberg
* Schrödinger

Interpretations

* Bayesian
* Consciousness causes collapse
* Consistent histories
* Copenhagen
* de Broglie–Bohm
* Ensemble
* Hidden-variable
* Many-worlds
* Objective-collapse
* Quantum logic
* Superdeterminism
* Relational
* Transactional

Advanced topics

* Relativistic quantum mechanics
* Quantum field theory
* Quantum information science
* Quantum computing
* Quantum chaos
* EPR paradox
* Density matrix
* Scattering theory
* Quantum statistical mechanics
* Quantum machine learning

Scientists

* Aharonov
* Bell
* Bethe
* Blackett
* Bloch
* Bohm
* Bohr
* Born
* Bose
* de Broglie
* Compton
* Dirac
* Davisson
* Debye
* Ehrenfest
* Einstein
* Everett
* Fock
* Fermi
* Feynman
* Glauber
* Gutzwiller
* Heisenberg
* Hilbert
* Jordan
* Kramers
* Lamb
* Landau
* Laue
* Moseley
* Millikan
* Onnes
* Pauli
* Planck
* Rabi
* Raman
* Rydberg
* Schrödinger
* Simmons
* Sommerfeld
* von Neumann
* Weyl
* Wien
* Wigner
* Zeeman
* Zeilinger

* v
* t
* e

Information science

General aspects

* Access
* Architecture
* Behavior
* Management
* Retrieval
* Seeking
* Society
* Knowledge organization
* Ontology
* Philosophy
* Science and technology studies
* Taxonomy

Related fields and subfields

* Bibliometrics
* Categorization
* Censorship
* Classification
* Computer data storage
* Cultural studies
* Data modeling
* Informatics
* Information technology
* Intellectual freedom
* Intellectual property
* Library and information science
* Memory
* Preservation
* Privacy
* Quantum information science

* v
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Quantum information science is a field that combines the principles of quantum mechanics with information theory to study the processing, analysis, and transmission of information. It covers both theoretical and experimental aspects of quantum physics, including the limits of what can be achieved with quantum information. The term quantum information theory is sometimes used, but it refers to the theoretical aspects of information processing and does not include experimental research.[1]

At its core, quantum information science explores how information behaves when stored and manipulated using quantum systems. Unlike classical information, which is encoded in bits that can only be 0 or 1, quantum information uses quantum bits or qubits that can exist simultaneously in multiple states because of superposition. Additionally, entanglement—a uniquely quantum linkage between particles—enables correlations that have no classical counterpart.[2][3][4] This new way of handling information opens up transformative possibilities in computation, communication, and sensing.[5]

## Scientific and engineering studies

[edit]

Quantum information science is inherently interdisciplinary, bringing together physics, computer science, mathematics, and engineering. It involves developing theoretical frameworks, designing quantum algorithms, constructing quantum hardware, and implementing quantum communication protocols.[6]

Quantum teleportation, entanglement and the manufacturing of quantum computers depend on a comprehensive understanding of quantum physics and engineering. Google and IBM, among others, have invested significantly in quantum computer hardware research, leading to significant progress in manufacturing quantum computers since the 2010s. Currently, it is possible to build a quantum computer with over 100 qubits, but the error rates are high due to several factors including decoherence[7], the lack of suitable hardware and materials for quantum computer manufacturing, which make it difficult to create a scalable quantum computer.[8]

Quantum cryptography devices are now available for commercial use. The one time pad, a cipher used by spies during the Cold War, uses a sequence of random keys for encryption. These keys can be securely exchanged using quantum entangled particle pairs, as the principles of the no-cloning theorem and wave function collapse ensure the secure exchange of the random keys. The development of devices that can transmit quantum entangled particles is a significant scientific and engineering goal.[citation needed]

Qiskit, Cirq and Q Sharp are popular quantum programming languages. Additional programming languages for quantum computers are needed, as well as a larger community of competent quantum programmers. To this end, additional learning resources are needed, since there are many fundamental differences in quantum programming which limits the number of skills that can be carried over from traditional programming.[9]

## Related mathematical subjects

[edit]

Quantum algorithms and quantum complexity theory are two of the subjects in algorithms and computational complexity theory. In 1994, mathematician Peter Shor introduced a quantum algorithm for prime factorization[10] that, with a quantum computer containing 4,000 logical qubits, could potentially break widely used ciphers like RSA and ECC, posing a major security threat. This led to increased investment in quantum computing research and the development of post-quantum cryptography[11] to prepare for the fault-tolerant quantum computing (FTQC) era.[12][13]

## See also

[edit]

* Glossary of quantum computing
* Information theory
* Quantum mechanics
* Quantum computing
* Quantum error correction
* Quantum cryptography and its generalization, quantum communication
* Quantum communication complexity
* Quantum entanglement, as seen from an information-theoretic point of view
* Quantum dense coding
* Quantum teleportation
* Entanglement-assisted classical capacity
* No-communication theorem
* Quantum capacity
* Quantum communication channel
* Quantum decision tree complexity
* Timeline of quantum computing and communication
* Petz recovery map

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Quantum Information Science". www.pnnl.gov. Retrieved 2025-08-06.
2. ^ Bub, Jeffrey (2023), Zalta, Edward N.; Nodelman, Uri (eds.), "Quantum Entanglement and Information", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Summer 2023 ed.), Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University, retrieved 2025-08-06
3. ^ Brukner, Caslav; Zukowski, Marek (2009-09-14), Bell's Inequalities: Foundations and Quantum Communication, arXiv, doi:10.48550/arXiv.0909.2611, arXiv:0909.2611, retrieved 2025-08-06
4. ^ Braunstein, S. L. (2005). Akulin, V.M.; Sarfati, A.; Kurizki, G.; Pellegrin, S. (eds.). "Entanglement in Quantum Information Processing". Decoherence, Entanglement and Information Protection in Complex Quantum Systems. Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands: 17–26\. doi:10.1007/1-4020-3283-8_3. ISBN 978-1-4020-3283-7.
5. ^ "Quantum Sensing & Metrology". 60\. Quantum Innovation Centre (QINC). Retrieved 2025-08-06.
6. ^ "Quantum Information Science". Energy.gov. 2024-11-15. Retrieved 2025-08-06.
7. ^ Schlosshauer, Maximilian (2019-10-25). "Quantum decoherence". Physics Reports. Quantum decoherence. 831: 1–57\. doi:10.1016/j.physrep.2019.10.001. ISSN 0370-1573.
8. ^ de Leon, Nathalie P.; Itoh, Kohei M.; Kim, Dohun; Mehta, Karan K.; Northup, Tracy E.; Paik, Hanhee; Palmer, B. S.; Samarth, N.; Sangtawesin, Sorawis; Steuerman, D. W. (2021-04-16). "Materials challenges and opportunities for quantum computing hardware". Science. 372 (6539): eabb2823. doi:10.1126/science.abb2823.
9. ^ Ömer, Bernhard (2005-07-01). "Classical Concepts in Quantum Programming". International Journal of Theoretical Physics. 44 (7): 943–955\. doi:10.1007/s10773-005-7071-x. ISSN 1572-9575.
10. ^ Shor, Peter W. (January 1999). "Polynomial-Time Algorithms for Prime Factorization and Discrete Logarithms on a Quantum Computer". SIAM Review. 41 (2): 303–332\. doi:10.1137/S0036144598347011. ISSN 0036-1445.
11. ^ Bernstein, Daniel J. (2025), "Post-quantum Cryptography", Encyclopedia of Cryptography, Security and Privacy, Springer, Cham, pp. 1846–1847, doi:10.1007/978-3-030-71522-9_386, ISBN 978-3-030-71522-9, retrieved 2025-08-06
12. ^ Häner, Thomas; Jaques, Samuel; Naehrig, Michael; Roetteler, Martin; Soeken, Mathias (2020). "Improved Quantum Circuits for Elliptic Curve Discrete Logarithms". In Ding, Jintai; Tillich, Jean-Pierre (eds.). Post-Quantum Cryptography. Lecture Notes in Computer Science. Cham: Springer International Publishing. pp. 425–444\. arXiv:2001.09580. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-44223-1_23. ISBN 978-3-030-44223-1.
13. ^ Gottesman, Daniel (1998-01-01). "Theory of fault-tolerant quantum computation". Physical Review A. 57 (1): 127–137\. doi:10.1103/PhysRevA.57.127.

* Nielsen, Michael A.; Chuang, Isaac L. (June 2012). Quantum Computation and Quantum Information (10th anniversary ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780511992773. OCLC 700706156.

## External links

[edit]

* Quantiki – quantum information science portal and wiki.
* ERA-Pilot QIST WP1 European roadmap on Quantum Information Processing and Communication
* QIIC – Quantum Information, Imperial College London.
* QIP – Quantum Information Group, University of Leeds. The quantum information group at the University of Leeds is engaged in researching a wide spectrum of aspects of quantum information. This ranges from algorithms, quantum computation, to physical implementations of information processing and fundamental issues in quantum mechanics. Also contains some basic tutorials for the lay audience.
* mathQI Research Group on Mathematics and Quantum Information.
* CQIST Center for Quantum Information Science & Technology at the University of Southern California
* CQuIC Center for Quantum Information and Control, including theoretical and experimental groups from University of New Mexico, University of Arizona.
* CQT Centre for Quantum Technologies at the National University of Singapore
* CQC2T Centre for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology
* QST@LSU Quantum Science and Technologies Group at Louisiana State University
* QIST@TU Delft MSc programme Quantum Information Science & Technology at TU Delft.

* v
* t
* e

Quantum information science

General|

* DiVincenzo's criteria
* NISQ era
* Quantum computing
* timeline
* Quantum information
* Quantum programming
* Quantum simulation
* Qubit
* physical vs. logical
* Quantum processors
* cloud-based

Theorems|

* Bell's
* Eastin–Knill
* Gleason's
* Gottesman–Knill
* Holevo's
* No-broadcasting
* No-cloning
* No-communication
* No-deleting
* No-hiding
* No-teleportation
* PBR
* Quantum speed limit
* Threshold
* Solovay–Kitaev
* Schrödinger-HJW

Quantum
communication|

* Classical capacity
* entanglement-assisted
* quantum capacity
* Entanglement distillation
* Entanglement swapping
* Monogamy of entanglement
* LOCC
* Quantum channel
* quantum network
* State purification
* Quantum teleportation
* quantum energy teleportation
* quantum gate teleportation
* Superdense coding

| Quantum cryptography|

* Post-quantum cryptography
* Quantum coin flipping
* Quantum money
* Quantum key distribution
* BB84
* SARG04
* other protocols
* Quantum secret sharing

|

Quantum algorithms|

* Algorithmic cooling
* Amplitude amplification
* Bernstein–Vazirani
* BHT
* Boson sampling
* Deutsch–Jozsa
* Grover's
* HHL
* Hidden subgroup
* Magic state distillation
* Quantum annealing
* Quantum counting
* Quantum Fourier transform
* Quantum optimization
* Quantum phase estimation
* Shor's
* Simon's
* VQE

Quantum
complexity theory|

* BQP
* DQC1
* EQP
* QIP
* QMA
* PostBQP

Quantum
processor benchmarks|

* Quantum supremacy
* Quantum volume
* Randomized benchmarking
* XEB
* Relaxation times
* T1
* T2

Quantum
computing models|

* Adiabatic quantum computation
* Continuous-variable quantum information
* One-way quantum computer
* cluster state
* Quantum circuit
* quantum logic gate
* Quantum machine learning
* quantum neural network
* Quantum Turing machine
* Topological quantum computer
* Hamiltonian quantum computation

Quantum
error correction|

* Codes
* 5 qubit
* CSS
* GKP
* quantum convolutional
* stabilizer
* Shor
* Bacon–Shor
* Steane
* Toric
* gnu
* Entanglement-assisted

Physical
implementations|

| Quantum optics|

* Cavity QED
* Circuit QED
* Linear optical QC
* KLM protocol

|

Ultracold atoms|

* Neutral atom QC
* Trapped-ion QC

Spin-based|

* Kane QC
* Spin qubit QC
* NV center
* NMR QC

Superconducting|

* Charge qubit
* Flux qubit
* Phase qubit
* Transmon

Quantum
programming|

* OpenQASM–Qiskit–IBM QX
* Quil–Forest/Rigetti QCS
* Cirq
* Q#
* libquantum
* many others...

* Quantum information science
* Quantum mechanics topics

* v
* t
* e

Quantum mechanics

Background|

* Introduction
* History
* Timeline
* Classical mechanics
* Old quantum theory
* Glossary

Fundamentals|

* Born rule
* Bra–ket notation
* Complementarity
* Density matrix
* Energy level
* Ground state
* Excited state
* Degenerate levels
* Zero-point energy
* Entanglement
* Hamiltonian
* Interference
* Decoherence
* Measurement
* Nonlocality
* Quantum state
* Superposition
* Tunnelling
* Scattering theory
* Symmetry in quantum mechanics
* Uncertainty
* Wave function
* Collapse
* Wave–particle duality

Formulations|

* Formulations
* Heisenberg
* Interaction
* Matrix mechanics
* Schrödinger
* Path integral formulation
* Phase space

Equations|

* Klein–Gordon
* Dirac
* Weyl
* Majorana
* Rarita–Schwinger
* Pauli
* Rydberg
* Schrödinger

Interpretations|

* Bayesian
* Consciousness causes collapse
* Consistent histories
* Copenhagen
* de Broglie–Bohm
* Ensemble
* Hidden-variable
* Local
* Superdeterminism
* Many-worlds
* Objective collapse
* Quantum logic
* Relational
* Transactional

Experiments|

* Bell test
* Davisson–Germer
* Delayed-choice quantum eraser
* Double-slit
* Franck–Hertz
* Mach–Zehnder interferometer
* Elitzur–Vaidman
* Popper
* Quantum eraser
* Stern–Gerlach
* Wheeler's delayed choice

Science|

* Quantum biology
* Quantum chemistry
* Quantum chaos
* Quantum cosmology
* Quantum differential calculus
* Quantum dynamics
* Quantum geometry
* Quantum measurement problem
* Quantum mind
* Quantum stochastic calculus
* Quantum spacetime

Technology|

* Quantum algorithms
* Quantum amplifier
* Quantum bus
* Quantum cellular automata
* Quantum finite automata
* Quantum channel
* Quantum circuit
* Quantum complexity theory
* Quantum computing
* Timeline
* Quantum cryptography
* Quantum electronics
* Quantum error correction
* Quantum imaging
* Quantum image processing
* Quantum information
* Quantum key distribution
* Quantum logic
* Quantum logic gates
* Quantum machine
* Quantum machine learning
* Quantum metamaterial
* Quantum metrology
* Quantum network
* Quantum neural network
* Quantum optics
* Quantum programming
* Quantum sensing
* Quantum simulator
* Quantum teleportation

Extensions|

* Quantum fluctuation
* Casimir effect
* Quantum statistical mechanics
* Quantum field theory
* History
* Quantum gravity
* Relativistic quantum mechanics

Related|

* Schrödinger's cat
* in popular culture
* Wigner's friend
* EPR paradox
* Quantum mysticism

* Category

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Major branches of physics

Divisions|

* Pure
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Approaches|

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Classical|

* Classical mechanics
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* Acoustics
* Classical electromagnetism
* Classical optics
* Ray
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* Thermodynamics
* Statistical
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Modern|

* Relativistic mechanics
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* Nuclear physics
* Particle physics
* Quantum mechanics
* Atomic, molecular, and optical physics
* Atomic
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* Condensed matter physics
* Solid-state physics
* Crystallography

Interdisciplinary|

* Astrophysics
* Atmospheric physics
* Biophysics
* Chemical physics
* Geophysics
* Materials science
* Mathematical physics
* Medical physics
* Ocean physics
* Quantum information science

Related|

* History of physics
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