Advanced Quantum Communications: An Engineering Approach

Book Preface

Quantum computation and information is a new, rapidly developing, interdisciplinary field. According to Moore’s law, the physical limitations of classical physics–based technologies could be reached within a few years. The transistors on a chip will be squeezed to the atomic scale, and during the next decade we will step into the “Quantum Age.”

In order to support the reader as he or she is entering the jungle of quantum phenomena–driven communications, our book offers a concise and up-to-date introduction to the plain and the secret quantum communications, quantum networking.

The book is well suited to a very broad audience, and no prior knowledge of the various properties of quantum communications channels is assumed. However, readers should have a basic knowledge of complex numbers, vectors, and matrices. The topics discussed include quantum information theory, quantum cryptography, quantum communications, quantum informational geometry, computational geometrical methods in quantum computations, and the implementation of quantum networks of the future. Since advanced quantum communications methods will be one of the most important areas in experimental future communications, our book may be of interest to scientists in a wide range of fields. Therefore, we recommend this book to graduate students, researchers, and practitioners in electrical engineering, physics, and computer science.

In order to make the discussion easier to parse, we have included the following features:
• Tables: analyses and comparisons of the main properties of quantum communication channels;
• Illustrations: more than 260 figures and graphs with well-designed and clear interpretations;
• Equations: more than 700 equations; all of our mathematical derivations are based on clear physical images that make even the most involved results comprehensible and clear. Moreover, the mathematical formalism is kept to the minimum needed to understand the key results.
• Innovative methods of presentation: for example, geometrical representations of quantum channels and methods that facilitate the perception of complex problems.

The book explains the future’s advanced quantum communications schemes and gives an overview of the security of these systems from an engineering viewpoint. Each chapter addresses an area of major and current research in quantum communications. We tailored the chapters so that they include most recent developments and results in the field of advanced quantum communications. The Further Reading sections at the end of each chapter provide the historical background of the discussed topics and should help the reader find useful information related to the given chapter. At the back of the book, the Notations and Abbreviations section should also prove useful to the reader.