ECE 592-100 - Signal Processing Tour of Quantum Computing
Spring 2023
Instructor:
Dror Baron,
e-mail: barondror AT ncsu DOT edu
Classrooms:
Classes will be on Monday and Wednesday, 11:45-13:00, EB2 1229.
Office hours will be held on Wednesdays, 14:00-15:00, via Zoom.
Announcements
- 26 December 2022:
Course webpage is online;
Panopto
videos of class;
Moodle; and
continuity plan.
- January 8, 2023:
Tentative schedule.
- January 17, 2023:
Extra credit may be provided for attending class;
a tentative grade structure appears below;
grand scheme of
ECE 421;
syllabus.
- January 18, 2023:
Homework1 (HW1) is due on Jan. 25.
Submission should be in class (hard copy) or electronically on Moodle, up to midnight on that day.
January 31, 2023:
Homework2 (HW2) is due on Feb. 8.
Submission should be in class (hard copy) or electronically on Moodle, up to midnight on that day.
- February 12, 2023:
Updated schedule.
- February 15, 2023:
Homework3 (HW3) is due on Feb. 22.
- February 27, 2023:
Homework4 (HW4) is due on March 8.
- March 7, 2023:
Slides for
Chapters 1-2 and
Chapters 4-5
in Proakis & Manolakis;
updated schedule.
- March 9, 2023:
Slides for
Chapters 7-8.
- March 18, 2023:
Homework4 (HW4) has been updated with better explanations.
- March 23, 2023:
2023 Quiz 1 and its
solution;
2023 Quiz 2 and its
solution;
Homework5 (HW5) is due on March 29.
- March 29, 2023:
Slides for complexity classes.
- April 3, 2023:
Updated schedule.
- April 12, 2023:
Explanations about the final project appear below;
Homework6 (HW6) is due on April 19.
- April 17, 2023:
Schedule - this one is likely final.
- May 1, 2023:
2023 Final exam and its
solution.
Useful Links
About this Course
Prerequisites
As suggested by the course's name, it will be advantageous for students to be familiar with signal processing or quantum computing.
However, seeing that the number of students who have both backgrounds is limited, we will review these materials during the first part of the course.
Students must be familiar with linear algebra (e.g., Math 305 or 405), and probability and statistics (e.g., ST 371 or ECE 514).
Some programming proficiency, for example in Matlab or Python, may be needed.
Finally, it will be helpful (but not required) for students to be familiar with linear systems (ECE 301),
undergraduate signal processing basics (ECE 421), mathematical transforms such as Fourier, and group theory (Math 407).
For your convenience, here are links to my course materials for
ECE 421 and
ECE 514.
Topics
As a new and thus somewhat experimental course, it is difficult to predict in advance precisely what we will cover.
The following list should be interpreted as a roadmap, and we may veer a bit away from our planned route as we "tour" these topics.
-
Motivation and Introduction.
-
Mathematical basics: complex numbers, linear algebra, tensor products.
-
Quantum computing basics: state spaces, quantum evolution, measurement, qubits,
single qubit gates, multi-qubit gates, entanglement. Deutsch's algorithm.
-
Signal processing basics: discrete time signals and systems, discrete time Fourier transforms, frequency interpretation of linear time invariant systems.
-
Hadamard transform: finding XOR function patterns, Deutsch-Jozsa algorithm, Bernstein-Vazirani algorithm.
-
Computation of Fourier transforms: Fast Fourier transform (classical) and quantum Fourier transform.
-
Phase estimation: quantum phase estimation, classical spectral estimation, noisy spectral estimation.
Course Materials
Textbook
The instructor will be trying to provide his interpretation to some topics in the quantum literature,
while coming from his (classical) signal processing perspective.
Here are some references that may be useful.
-
Nielsen and Chuang, Quantum Computing and Quantum Information, 2000.
-
Proakis and Manolakis, Digital Signal Processing - Principles, Algorithms, and Applications, 1992 or later editions.
Programming
It is not clear whether we will have programming assignments as part of our course.
In any event, for your convenience, I am including resources for Matlab and Python.
Slides and Modules
- The grand scheme of
ECE 421 (undergraduate signal processing)
helps offer some perspective.
-
Slides for Chapters 1-2
in Proakis & Manolakis. (Introduction to signal processing; discrete time signals and systems.)
-
Slides for Chapters 4-5
in Proakis & Manolakis. (Fourier transforms; LTI systems in frequency domain.)
-
Slides for Chapters 7-8
in Proakis & Manolakis. (Discrete Fourier transforms; fast Fourier transform.)
-
Slides for complexity classes.
Assignments and Grading
Below is a preliminary grading structure. At this time, the grade components add up to 90% (before extra credit);
we will ensure that things add up to 100% as the course structure becomes clear.
Component |
% of Grade |
Due Date |
Homework: |
20% |
Throughout course |
Final Project: |
30% |
Due last week end of course |
Final Exam: |
20% |
May 1, 12-2:30 |
Quizzes: |
likely 2 quizzes, 5% each |
Dates TBD |
Quantum Interests: |
10% |
Throughout course |
Scribe some classes (details below): |
5% |
Note that this will be a form of extra credit |
Extra credit: |
Likely up to 3% |
This is in addition to being a scribe for some classes |
Quantum interests could be to attend / summarize / critique seminars in topics related to the course;
we suggest talks in the
NC State Quantum Workshop
(January 2023) and
Triangle Quantum Computing Seminar.
Another "quantum interest" style contribution would be for a student to record educational modules and put them online;
this is merely an example.
Being a scribe for some classes is intended to help develop course materials over time.
Depending on the number of students enrolled, I envision students scribing 2-3 classes.
This will result in 5% extra credit, which will be above and beyond the 3% extra credit.
Homework
We expect homeworks (HWs) roughly every 1-2 weeks.
Submission should be in class (hard copy) or electronically on Moodle, up to midnight on that day.
-
HW1 is due on Jan. 25.
-
HW2 is due on Feb. 8.
-
HW3 is due on Feb. 22.
-
HW4 is due on March 8.
-
HW5 is due on March 29.
-
HW6 is due on April 19.
Final Project
The final project will involve a topic that a student chooses to work on.
This could involve reading a paper and presenting it to the class,
implementing some quantum algorithm,
or even (ideally, hopefully) presenting new results that you worked on.
More details about the final project will be fleshed out during the semester.
-
Projects will be presented in class; please plan your presentation to be 15-30 minutes.
In order to allow for questions, a bit under 30 would be helpful.
-
A reasonable report would be 4-5 pages, perhaps a few figures, and references.
That is, the main content will cover 4-5 pages.
-
Projects and reports will be peer graded. Please make sure to attend class on April 19
and April 24 in order to be able to evaluate all the presentations.
Past tests
Feedback
Students are encouraged to send feedback to Prof. Baron,
barondror dot {gmail dot com, ncsu dot edu}.