Course Announcement: CSS.427.1: A minicourse on Quantum Coding Theory - Monsoon Semester (2025-26)

Time: TBA
Location: A201
Instructors:
Homepage: https://www.tcs.tifr.res.in/~prahladh/teaching/2025-26/qecc/

CSS.427.1: A minicourse on Quantum Coding Theory

Toric Code, created by chatGPT

In this mini-course, we will explore the fundamentals of quantum error-correcting codes and quantum fault tolerance, key components in building reliable quantum computers. We will begin by examining why quantum error correction is essential, highlighting the differences from classical error correction. The course will cover the following topics:

Motivation for quantum error correction
Quantum channels: Shannon vs Hamming perspectives
Shor's 9-qubit code
Stabilizer and CSS codes
The toric code
The Clifford group and its role in encoding
Principles of quantum fault tolerance
Selected advanced topics (time permitting)

Grading

Students taking the course for credit will be expected to:

Problems Sets (2 problem sets)
Project / Paper Presentation
Participate actively in class
Grading Policy:
- Problems Sets - 50%
- Class Participation - 10%
- Project / Paper Presentation -- 40%

References

[Got]	Daniel Gottesman, "Surviving as a Quantum Computer in a Classical World", (draft of book), 2024.
[Wri]	John Wright, "CS 294: Quantum Coding Theory", Berkeley, Spring 2024.

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Prahladh Harsha