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Quantum computing and probability

David K Ferry

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VIEWPOINT

Over the past two decades, quantum computing has become a popular and promising approach to trying to solve computationally difficult problems. Missing in many descriptions of quantum computing is just how probability enters into the process. Here, we discuss some simple examples of how uncertainty and probability enter, and how this and the ideas of quantum computing challenge our interpretations of quantum mechanics. It is found that this uncertainty can lead to intrinsic decoherence, and this raises challenges for error correction.


PACS

03.67.Lx Quantum computation architectures and implementations

02.50.Cw Probability theory

03.65.Yz Decoherence; open systems; quantum statistical methods

03.67.Pp Quantum error correction and other methods for protection against decoherence

03.65.Ud Entanglement and quantum nonlocality (e.g. EPR paradox, Bell's inequalities, GHZ states, etc.)

Subjects

Computational physics

Quantum information and quantum mechanics

Dates

Issue 47 (25 November 2009)

Received 9 March 2009, in final form 27 April 2009

Published 5 November 2009



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