Alexandria Digital Research Library

It and Bit: Decoherence and Information Storage

Author:
Nguyen, Hieu Duy
Degree Grantor:
University of California, Santa Barbara. Physics
Degree Supervisor:
Wim van Dam
Place of Publication:
[Santa Barbara, Calif.]
Publisher:
University of California, Santa Barbara
Creation Date:
2013
Issued Date:
2013
Topics:
Computer Science and Physics, Quantum
Keywords:
Best memory
Quantum search
Ultimate information storage
Grover search
Decoherent histories
Consistent histories
Genres:
Online resources and Dissertations, Academic
Dissertation:
Ph.D.--University of California, Santa Barbara, 2013
Description:

The second topic is decoherent histories applied to the Grover search problem. The theory of decoherent histories is an attempt to derive classical physics from positing only quantum laws at the fundamental level without notions of a classical apparatus or collapse of the wave-function. Searching for a marked target in a list of N items requires O( N) oracle queries when using a classical computer, while a quantum computer can accomplish the same task in O( N ) queries using Grover's quantum algorithm. We study a closed quantum system executing Grover algorithm in the framework of decoherent histories and find it to be an exactly solvable model, thus yielding an alternate derivation of Grover's famous result. We also subject the Grover-executing computer to a generic external influence without needing to know the specifics of the Hamiltonian insofar as the histories decohere. Depending on the amount of decoherence, which is captured in our model by a single parameter related to the amount of information obtained by the environment, the search time can range from quantum to classical. Thus, we identify a key effect induced by the environment that can adversely affect a quantum computer's performance and demonstrate exactly how classical computing can emerge from quantum laws.

Physical Description:
1 online resource (84 pages)
Format:
Text
Collection(s):
UCSB electronic theses and dissertations
ARK:
ark:/48907/f38c9tcb
ISBN:
9781303731488
Catalog System Number:
990041153130203776
Rights:
Inc.icon only.dark In Copyright
Copyright Holder:
Hieu Nguyen
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