EAGER: Information Theory: From Classical to Quantum

University Of Illinois At Urbana-Champaign, Urbana IL

Investigators

Abstract

The proposal focuses on the emerging area of quantum information theory, which is expected to play a major role in understanding the fundamental performance limits for quantum computation, quantum cryptography, and quantum networking. The PI will perform research activities that will allow him to bridge these two topics. The results of the research will be published in a book that will serve a broad range of students, researchers, and practitioners who are interested in this important area. The research will provide an alternative perspective on the quantum information theory, which will be of high intellectual value. It will help connecting Physics and Information theory in a new way and will make advanced physics concepts accessible to engineering students. The proposal focuses on the emerging area of quantum information theory, which is expected to play a major role in understanding the fundamental performance limits for quantum computation, quantum cryptography, and quantum networking. The project will advance our understanding of semiclassical wave/photon models as well as their applications in the engineering practice. The research will lead to the characterization of the channel capacity of various modulation formats for semiclassical/quantum channels. The project will lead to a seamless theory that encompasses classical information theory, semiclassical information theory, and quantum information theory under a single umbrella anchored by the concepts of energy and phase. In addition, our understanding of this relationship will lead to new topics in information theory with application to telecommunications, and new topics relating to the many applications of quantum theory. The results of the research will be published in a book that will serve a broad range of students, researchers, and practitioners who are interested in this important area. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.