Theme 4

Quantum Computing

By taking advantage of quantum physics, fully functioning quantum computers would be able to process extremely complex problems at speeds many times faster than modern machines. Although still in development, quantum technology may soon be able to solve complex problems that supercomputers can’t solve, or can’t solve quickly enough. The promise of new businesses and disruptive technologies is on the table. Major economic and scientific powers are entering the race.

1. Quantum computing faces several major challenges, many of which relate to the unique properties of quantum mechanics and current limitations of the technology. How does it work? What are the problems?

2. The technology is still in its early stages and faces challenges related to stability and scalability. What is actually available?

3. Quantum computers could solve some complex problems much faster than traditional computers. In which areas in particular? Why?

4. Cryptographers don’t sleep very well, but they have ideas, don’t they?

Documentation

• On what it is

  1. M. Fontez Ordinateur quantique: le monde s’y prépare. Epsiloon 2022

  2. [Course au quantique: sous le capot des ordinateurs du futur.] (https://www.radiofrance.fr/franceculture/podcasts/le-reportage-de-la-redaction/course-au-quantique-sous-le-capot-des-ordinateurs-du-futur-4196978) France Culture 2024

  3. J. Preskill Quantum Computing in the NISQ era and beyond. Quantum 2018

• On simulating quantum computers

  1. Zhang et al. Alibaba Cloud Quantum Development Platform: Large-Scale Classical Simulation of Quantum Circuits. arXiv Preprint 2019

  2. Moguel et al. Quantum service-oriented computing: current landscape and challenges. Software Qual 2022

• On expected business

  1. Strategic Industry Roadmap. QuIC 2024

  2. Où en est la révolution quantique ? CNRS 2024

  3. L. Kabelka Le nouveau programme européen d’internet quantique a été lancé. Euractiv 2022

  4. Quels sont les principaux acteurs de l’informatique quantique ? Inria 2020

• On breaking cryptography

  1. P. Shor Polynomial-Time Algorithms for Prime Factorization and Discrete Logarithms on a Quantum Computer. SIAM 1999

• On post-quantum cryptography

  1. O. Regev [On lattices, learning with errors, random linear codes, and cryptography.](On lattices, learning with errors, random linear codes, and cryptography) ACM 2009

  2. Chen et al. Quantum Algorithms for Lattice Problems. Cryptology 2024
     Note: the algorithm contains a bug

  3. First Four Quantum-Resistant Cryptographic Algorithms. NIST 2022

• Misc – Further reading

  1. J. Preskill Quantum computing 40 years later. arXiv Preprint 2021

  2. [Cours – Information quantique et calcul quantique.](https://quanting.org/index.php/reunions/ CNRS Quanting 2024

  3. Pour approfondir la thématique du traitement de l’information et du calcul quantique. CNRS Quanting 2024

  4. Alice PELLET–MARY Post-quantum cryptography.

Tips for fast & efficient reading

The documentation on offer can be extensive, long and complex. Don’t panic. We can’t hope to have time and expertize to examine each article in detail during the session.

The body of a scientific article is made up of arguments, demonstrations and proofs, which is mandatory for other scientists, but perhaps not for the general public. This is why an Abstract is provided. It gives a general idea of the subject and the findings. That’s enough for a first reading level. (A second reading level will focus on the Introduction and Conclusion sections. And a third will delve into the body of the article.)

So, organize your reading time to cover the diversity of documents, without trying to go into too much detail in each one.