RISC Forum

Abstract:
Quantum computers are *not* the next generation of supercomputers. Rather, they are an attempt to rethink the way we load in, store and process information. The basic information carriers -- so called qubits -- are realized at the microscale. There, genuine quantum effects become natively available and allow us to execute radically different computing operations. These come with unique challenges, but also potential advantages.

My talk will consist of two parts: I will first sketch the broad field of quantum computing in a slide presentation. This will also include a high-level overview of what we at JKU have contributed to this field, as well as our roadmap for the (near) future.

In the second part, I will use the blackboard to explain the basic mathematical formalism, as well as a concrete (and easy to parse) use case: the BB84 protocol for quantum key distribution.