There is no doubt that the quantum computer and the quantum internet have many profound applications, they may change the way we think about information, and they could completely change our daily life.

But how do a quantum computer and a quantum internet work? What scientific principles are behind it? What kind of software and protocols do we need for that? How can we operate a quantum computer and a quantum internet? And which disciplines of science and engineering are needed to develop a fully working system?

In a series of two MOOCs, we will take you through all layers of a quantum computer and a quantum internet. The first course will provide you with the scientific basis by explaining the first layer: the qubits. We will discuss the four types of qubits that QuTech research center at Delft University of Technology focuses on: topological qubits, Spin qubits, Trans qubits and NV Centre qubits. We will teach you the working principles of qubits and, at the same time, the working principles of a computer made of these qubits.

In the upcoming second course, we will introduce the other layers needed to build a quantum computer and a quantum internet, such as the micro-architecture, compilers, quantum error correction, repeaters and quantum algorithms.

These two courses offer you an opportunity to deepen your knowledge by continuing the journey started in our first MOOC, which focused on the applications of a quantum computer and a quantum internet.

Note that these courses offer a full overview of the layers of a quantum computer and a quantum internet, and therefore they will not go into too much detail per layer. For learners seeking to fully understand one specific topic we can recommend other courses authored by QuTech:

Quantum information is the foundation of the second quantum revolution. With classical computers and the classical internet, we are always manipulating classical information, made of bits. On the other hand, quantum computing and quantum communication consist in the processing of quantum information, made of qubits.

Take away the hardware, and all quantum computers work the same way, through the clever manipulation of quantum information and entanglement. This course provides a deeper understanding of some of the topics covered in our Quantum 101 program, namely, the representation and manipulation of quantum information at the level of abstract quantum circuits. Specifically, single and multi-qubit gates and circuits are introduced, and basic algorithms and protocols such as quantum state teleportation, superdense coding, and entanglement swapping are discussed. The course also presents quantum gate sets, their universality, and compilations between different gate expressions. These concepts are then made concrete with the Quantum Inspire simulator (a cloud-based quantum computing platform, created and maintained by QuTech at TU Delft), and the physics and operations with spin qubits will be detailed. The course concludes with an examination of quantum supremacy and near-term quantum devices, also known as "noisy-intermediate scale" (NISQ) quantum computing.

The course is a journey of discovery, so we encourage you to bring your own experiences, insights and thoughts to discuss on the forum!

This course is authored by experts from the QuTech research center at Delft University of Technology. In the center, scientists and engineers work together to drive research and development in quantum technology. QuTech Academy's aim is to inspire, share and disseminate knowledge about the latest developments in quantum technology.

There is no doubt that quantum computers and the quantum internet will have a great impact on our world. But we don’t yet know quite how. As with traditional computers – we will only see the effects in the decades to come.

This course will provide you with a basic understanding of quantum computing and the quantum internet. Together, we’ll peek into the fascinating world of quantum phenomena, such as qubits, superposition, and entanglement.

We’ll envision the potential impact of quantum computing and the quantum internet.

You’ll explore various application areas, such as quantum chemistry, quantum machine learning, encryption and secure communication, factorization, and blind quantum computation.

The course is aimed at a broad and diverse audience including policy-makers, people with a scientific or personal interest, business executives, and students at all levels.

We invite you on a journey beyond what is known to us now, and to envision a world with quantum technologies.

This journey will continue in a second course planned for May 2018, where we will expand from an understanding of the building blocks of Quantum Computers to look at further applications and possibilities.

This course is authored by experts from the QuTech research center at Delft University of Technology. In the center scientists and engineers work together to enhance research and development in quantum technology. QuTech Academy’s aim is to inspire, share and disseminate knowledge about the latest developments in quantum technology.