Course syllabus for Building and programming a quantum computer

The course syllabus contains changes
See changes

Course syllabus adopted 2024-08-13 by Head of Programme (or corresponding).

Overview

  • Swedish nameBygga och programmera en kvantdator
  • CodeTRA200
  • Credits7.5 Credits
  • OwnerTRACKS
  • Education cycleSecond-cycle
  • DepartmentTRACKS
  • GradingTH - Pass with distinction (5), Pass with credit (4), Pass (3), Fail

Course round 1

  • Teaching language English
  • Application code 97122
  • Open for exchange studentsYes

Credit distribution

0123 Project 7.5 c
Grading: TH		3.7 c3.8 c

In programmes

Examiner

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Eligibility

General entry requirements for Master's level (second cycle)
Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.

Specific entry requirements

English 6 (or by other approved means with the equivalent proficiency level)
Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.

Course specific prerequisites

In addition to the general requirements to study at advanced level at Chalmers, necessary subject or project specific prerequisite competences (if any) must be fulfilled. Alternatively, the student must obtain the necessary competences during the course. The examiner will formulate and check these prerequisite competences.

The student will only be admitted in agreement with the examiner.
Linear algebra and classical electrodynamics are required. Depending on the project of choice, solid state physics, computer algorithms or electronic circuit design may be helpful, but not compulsory.

Aim

The aim of the course is to provide a platform to work and solve challenging cross-disciplinary authentic problems from different stakeholders in society such as the academy, industry or public institutions. Additionally, the aim is that students from different educational programs practice working efficiently in global multidisciplinary development teams.

Quantum computers are machines first envisioned by Richard Feynman to solve numerical and simulation problems that would take millennia even with the fastest supercomputers. Quantum algorithms make use of spooky quantum phenomena such as superposition and entanglement to reach this speedup. Chalmers hosts the main node of the Wallenberg Centre for Quantum Technology (WACQT), a 12-year initiative to build a Swedish quantum computer based on superconducting circuits. This is an interdisciplinary effort spanning from quantum hardware design, nanofabrication, microwave engineering to algorithm development and numerical simulations. This course aims at familiarizing students from diverse backgrounds with this effort, by providing first a general introduction to the field, and then direct exposure to the research environment at selected layers of the quantum computing stack.

Learning outcomes (after completion of the course the student should be able to)


Valid for all Tracks courses:
  • critically and creatively identify and/or formulate advanced architectural or engineering problems
  • master problems with open solutions spaces which includes to be able to handle uncertainties and limited information.
  • work in multidisciplinary teams and collaborate in teams with different compositions
  • orally and in writing explain and discuss information, problems, methods, design/development processes and solutions
  • fulfill project specific learning outcomes
Course specific:
  • describe and apply the quantum mechanical principles of two-level systems (quantum bits);
  • apply the mathematical formalism of quantum mechanics.
  • apply the gate model of quantum computation.
  • analyze and explain various quantum hardware and quantum bit architectures.
  • design project-specific quantum hardware (e. g. superconducting quantum circuits, cryogenic packaging, room-temperature control electronics).

Content

At the beginning of the semester, 7 lectures on the fundamentals of quantum mechanics, quantum software and quantum hardware are given. Next, the students draft and receive feedback on their project proposals. The challenge-driven projects run for the rest of the semester under the supervision of researchers at Chalmers. At the end of the semester, the teams present their results, and hand in a written report.

Organisation

The course is run by a teaching team.
The main part of the course is a challenge driven project. The challenge may range from being broad societal to profound research driven. The project task is solved in a group. The course is supplemented by on-demand teaching and learning of the skills necessary for the project. The project team will have one university examiner, one or a pole of university supervisors and one or a pole of external co-supervisors if applicable.

The course consists of lectures and a project. The main part is a challenge driven project executed by project teams of 2-4 students.


Literature

Relevant literature is retrieved and acquired by the students as a part of the project.
Lecture notes and recommended literature on the fundamentals are provided. Finding and acquiring project-specific literature is done by the students as part of the project.

Examination including compulsory elements

The course examination is based on the written project report and the oral presentation of the report. These will be graded separately, and the final grade will be the average of the grades with a weight of 2 (written report) to 1 (oral presentation).

The course examiner may assess individual students in other ways than what is stated above if there are special reasons for doing so, for example if a student has a decision from Chalmers on educational support due to disability.

The course syllabus contains changes

  • Changes to course:
    • 2024-08-13: Learning outcomes Learning outcomes changed by UOL
      Updated learning outcome
    • 2024-08-13: Prerequisites Prerequisites changed by UOL
      Updated course specific prerequisites, added information in Swedish about recomendation depending on project of choice
    • 2024-08-13: Organization Organization changed by UOL
      Updated information about organisation; removed TRACKS theme
  • Changes to course rounds:
    • 2024-09-02: Examinator Examinator changed from Attila Geresdi (geresdi) to Simone Gasparinetti (simoneg) by Viceprefekt
      [Course round 1]