Handbook

The progress of nanotechnology allows the fabrication of devices whose physical dimensions are approaching the atomic scale. At that scale, the laws of Quantum Mechanics become important. For classical electronics, an understanding of quantum phenomena and their impact on nanoscale devices is essential to further improve their performance. On the other hand, quantum effects can also be deliberately harnessed and exploited to create unprecedented functionalities.

The course "Fundamentals of Quantum Engineering" provides a modern, accessible, engineering-oriented introduction to the laws of Quantum Mechanics, and their relevance and applications in the emerging field of quantum technologies. The course teaches Quantum Mechanics using a matrix-oriented approach, which allows the students to write simple computer code to simulate the behaviour of surprisingly complex quantum devices.

The key learning outcomes of the course are the ability to understand and quantitatively describe the behaviour of quantum mechanical systems and devices, and to appreciate the potential of quantum phenomena to be applied for the construction of revolutionary systems such as quantum computers, quantum-enhanced sensors, and secure quantum communication channels. The course has a rather minimal set of prerequisities, and provides the necessary knowledge base to attend more advanced courses on the theory and applications of Quantum Mechanics.