Quantum many-body information

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Microscopic particles, such as electrons, atoms, and certain microfabricated devices, do not behave as common sense would dictate. Instead, they obey the strange laws of quantum mechanics. These mathematical laws predict for instance that a microscopic particle can be at two places at the same time. While it is hard, if not impossible, to get an intuitive sense about these laws, they are mathematically well understood, they have lead to many scientific predictions, and they have never been contradicted by an experiment. It is by studying the laws of quantum mechanics that devices such as the laser and the transistor were theoretically discovered, before being fabricated. These two devices led to the information revolution, which has transformed the way we live and pursue knowledge.******While quantum mechanics is at the heart of the information age, the information itself remains classical: the bits processed by a smartphone do not take two different values at a given time, or behave in any of the counter-intuitive ways enabled by quantum mechanics. Quantum information science is an interdisciplinary research field that aims at harnessing quantum mechanical effects to enhance information technologies. The potential technological impact of quantum computation has attracted major investment by government agencies and large corporations, and in recent years a raft of start-up companies have appeared with the support of speculative investors. The potential applications of QIS range from both cryptography and code-breaking, to the design and simulation of materials and chemicals, to fast optimization and machine learning techniques.******In the next five years, my NSERC-supported research will combine ideas and techniques from theoretical computer science and physics in innovative ways with the objective of enabling new technologies. This includes the discovery of new applications of quantum information processing and of new methods to facilitate their implementation. The realization of quantum technologies largely relies on efficient error correction methods, and I have become a leading expert in that area. The methods I develop for quantum error correction can also serve in ordinary wireless communication, with potential applications for the upcoming 5G network. ******Beyond these technological motivation, quantum information science provides a powerful lens to investigate fundamental physical questions. The technical knowledge and mathematical tools that I have developed is being used by a growing community of researchers trying to understand how to reconcile quantum mechanics and general relativity, particularly in the context of black holes. So in parallel to pursuing a technologically-driven research program, I will take an increasing part in this fascinating fundamental research endeavour.