An Introduction to the Mathematics of Topological Quantum Computation
Time: 2018-05-18
Published By: Meng Yu
Speaker(s): Eric Rowell (Texas A&M University)
Time: 15:30-16:30 May 22, 2018
Venue: Room 82J04, Jiayibing Building, Jingchunyuan 82, BICMR
Two-dimensional topological states of matter offer a route to quantum computation that would be topologically protected against the enemy of the quantum circuit model: decoherence. In this talk I will give a panorama of this subject from a mathematician's perspective. Specifically, we will look at some of the advantages and challenges of this model with an emphasis on the applications of different fields of mathematics, including low-dimensional topology, category theory, representation theory and number theory. I will discuss several foundational problems in computer science and condensed matter physics, their mathematical formulations and some recent results we have obtained. This talk will be suitable for graduate students, and will serve as an introduction to a mini-course to be offered in July/August 2018.
