Exploring Quantum Physics and its Applications to Computing

As part of the Quantum Physics course, I carried out an independent study titled “Quantum Physics Applied to Computer Science.” The work explored how fundamental principles of quantum mechanics, such as superposition and entanglement, open the door to new forms of computation, information processing, and reasoning.

The study began with the core physical concepts and gradually extended toward computational implications. I analyzed how quantum states enable parallel processing, how inference between quantum amplitudes determines constructive or destructive outcomes, and how logical operations are implemented through quantum gates like Hadamard, Pauli, CNOT, Toffoli, and Fredkin. I also examined quantum error correction codes (such as Shor and Steane), the no-cloning theorem, and algorithms by Shor and Grover that reveal the disruptive potential of quantum logic.

Beyond algorithms, the research touched on cryptography, quantum hardware technologies, and the social and philosophical implications of quantum theory. Topics included qubit architectures (superconducting, ion-trap, spin, topological, photonic), coherence challenges, and the broader ethical and societal effects of quantum computation on security, inequality, and knowledge.

This project gave me a holistic understanding of how quantum physics is not only a scientific field but a philosophical frontier. It made me aware that computation, at its deepest level, is a way of interpreting the nature of reality itself.

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