ELEC-C9420: Introduction to Quantum Technology
| Course name | Introduction to Quantum Technology |
|---|---|
| Course code | ELEC-C9420 |
| Abbreviation | IQT |
| Period | II |
| Lecturer | Matti Raasakka |
Description
Introduction to Quantum Technology is a 5 ECTS course running across two periods that introduces students to the principles underlying modern quantum technologies, including quantum computing, quantum communication, and quantum sensing. The course bridges classical and quantum physics, covering the postulates of quantum mechanics at an accessible level and applying them to current technological platforms. It is taught in the Department of Electronics and Nanoengineering (ELEC) and is open to students from a wide range of programmes; prior advanced quantum physics is not required. The course is part of the short Materials Physics and Quantum Technology major.
Course material
Official material
The course draws from multiple official sources distributed via MyCourses:
- Young & Freedman, University Physics (13th Edition, Pearson) — for classical and modern physics background.
- Nielsen & Chuang, Quantum Computation and Quantum Information (10th Anniversary Edition, Cambridge University Press) — for quantum information theory.
- Harris, Modern Physics (2nd Edition, Pearson) — for introductory quantum mechanics.
- Feynman, Leighton & Sands, The Feynman Lectures on Physics, Volume 3 (freely available online) — for conceptual depth.
Weekly lecture slides are published on MyCourses after each lecture.
Extra material
The Qiskit textbook Learn Quantum Computation using Qiskit (freely available at qiskit.org/learn) provides hands-on quantum circuit examples and complements the more theoretical course content. Fox, Quantum Optics: An Introduction (Oxford University Press), is listed as an optional reference for students interested in the quantum optics lectures. IBM Quantum Experience (quantum.ibm.com) allows students to run real quantum circuits on hardware, which many students find illuminating alongside the theoretical material.
Contents and workload
Overall workload
The official breakdown is: lectures 48h, exercise groups 24h, independent study 53h, for a total of approximately 125h over the two periods. In practice this means around 8–10 hours per week. The workload is relatively uniform across the course, though weeks introducing the mathematical formalism of quantum mechanics (Dirac notation, density matrices) require more concentrated effort. Weekly exercise submission is mandatory for grade contributions; lectures and exercise sessions are otherwise voluntary.
Weekly contents
| Week | Topics |
|---|---|
| 1–2 | Classical physics recap; wave-particle duality; the photoelectric effect; blackbody radiation; motivation for quantum mechanics. |
| 3–4 | Postulates of quantum mechanics; quantum states and the Dirac bra-ket notation; superposition; measurement and collapse. |
| 5–6 | Qubits; quantum gates; single-qubit operations on the Bloch sphere; the quantum circuit model. |
| 7–8 | Multi-qubit systems; entanglement; Bell states; quantum teleportation; no-cloning theorem. |
| 9–10 | Quantum algorithms; Deutsch–Jozsa; Grover’s search algorithm; introduction to Shor’s algorithm. |
| 11–12 | Physical implementations of qubits; superconducting circuits; trapped ions; photonic systems; Aalto research in context. |
| 13–14 | Quantum communication and cryptography; quantum key distribution; BB84 protocol; quantum sensing; wrap-up and exam preparation. |
Practicalities
The course is assessed via exam (at the end of Period II) and weekly exercise submissions. The final grade is a combination of midterm exam scores and exercise points. Lectures are broadcasted and recorded via Zoom, making them accessible if attendance is not possible.
Related courses
Official prerequisites
MS-A0011 Matrix Algebra is listed as a prerequisite (linear algebra is used throughout). Basic familiarity with complex numbers is assumed.
Additional prerequisites
Some exposure to university-level physics (e.g. PHYS-C0110 Mechanics or PHYS-C0130 Electromagnetism) helps with physical intuition, though it is not formally required. Students comfortable with linear algebra and complex arithmetic will find the mathematical formalism significantly more approachable.
More like this
- ELEC-C9440 Quantum Information — a natural follow-up focusing on quantum information theory in more depth.
- PHYS-C0254 Quantum Circuits — covers quantum hardware and circuit design from a physics perspective.
- PHYS-E0565 Monte Carlo Particle Transport Simulations — shares the Materials Physics and Quantum Technology major context.
- MS-A0011 Matrix Algebra — the prerequisite linear algebra course; revisiting it alongside this course is beneficial.