How did life start? How did something capable of replicating itself emerge from the primordial soup? How did it defy the odds? And how did it carry on seeking out those very mutations that enable survival? Life is an extraordinary phenomenon who existence requires an extraordinary explanation.

Living organisms are controlled by a single molecule – DNA. Yet the study of physics tells us that the behaviour of single molecules is controlled not by classical laws but by the strange laws of quantum mechanics. The implications of this for biology have never been fully explored. Until now. In this brilliant debut, Johnjoe McFadden puts forward a theory of quantum evolution. He shows how quantum mechanics gives living organisms the ability to initiate specific actions including new mutations. Indeed, such an ability may be life's most fundamental attribute. This simple but staggering theory has radical implications. Evolution may not be random at all, as evolutionary theorists have taught recently: rather it may be directed – cells may, in certain circumstances, be able to choose to mutate particular genes that provide an advantage in the environment in which the cell finds itself.

This property of living organisms to direct their actions has startling implications. It must be at the root of both consciousness and free will: 'Quantum Evolution' provides a new understanding of the origin of life and the meaning of death. Life, this brilliant book argues, is a quantum phenomenon. 'Quantum Evolution' provides a new biology for the new millennium.

Straddling the traditional disciplines of nuclear and particle physics, hadron physics is a vital and extremely active research area, as evidenced by a 2004 Nobel prize and new research facilities, such as that scheduled to open at CERN. Scientifically it is of vital importance in extrapolating our knowledge of quark-gluon physics at the sub-nucleon level to provide a wider perspective of strongly interacting hadrons, which make up the vast bulk of known matter in the Universe. Through detailed, pedagogical chapters contributed by key international experts, Hadron Physics maps out our contemporary knowledge of the subject. It covers both the theoretical and experimental aspects of hadron structure and properties along with a wide range of specific research topics, results, and applications. Providing a full picture of activity in the field, the book highlights three particular areas of current research: computational lattice hadron physics, the structure and dynamics of hadrons, and generalized parton distributions. It provides a solid introduction, includes background theory, and presents the current state of understanding of the subject.

The race is on to construct the first quantum code breaker, as the winner will hold the key to the entire Internet. From international, multibillion-dollar financial transactions to top-secret government communications, all would be vulnerable to the secret-code-breaking ability of the quantum computer.

Written by a renowned quantum physicist closely involved in the U.S. government s development of quantum information science, Schrodinger s Killer App: Race to Build the World s First Quantum Computer presents an inside look at the government s quest to build a quantum computer capable of solving complex mathematical problems and hacking the public-key encryption codes used to secure the Internet. The "killer application" refers to Shor s quantum factoring algorithm, which would unveil the encrypted communications of the entire Internet if a quantum computer could be built to run the algorithm. Schrodinger s notion of quantum entanglement and his infamous cat is at the heart of it all.

The book develops the concept of entanglement in the historical context of Einstein s 30-year battle with the physics community over the true meaning of quantum theory. It discusses the remedy to the threat posed by the quantum code breaker: quantum cryptography, which is unbreakable even by the quantum computer. The author also covers applications to other important areas, such as quantum physics simulators, synchronized clocks, quantum search engines, quantum sensors, and imaging devices. In addition, he takes readers on a philosophical journey that considers the future ramifications of quantum technologies.

Interspersed with amusing and personal anecdotes, this book presents quantum computing and the closely connected foundations of quantum mechanics in an engaging manner accessible to non-specialists. Requiring no formal training in physics or advanced mathematics, it explains difficult topics, including quantum entanglement, Schrodinger s cat, Bell s inequality, and quantum computational complexity, using simple analogies."

Originally published as two separate volumes, "The Theory of Quantum Liquids" is a classic text that attempts to describe the qualitative and unifying aspects of an extremely broad and diversified field. Volume I deals with 'normal' Fremi liquids, such as 3He and electrons in metals. Volume II consists of a detailed treatment of Bose condensation and liquid 4He, including the development of a Bose liquid theory and a microscopic basis for the two-fluid model, and the description of the elementary excitations of liquid HeII.

This book focuses on new experimental and theoretical advances concerning the role of strange and heavy-flavour quarks in high-energy heavy-ion collisions and in astrophysical phenomena. The topics covered include * Strangeness and heavy-quark production in nuclear collisions and hadronic interactions, * Hadron resonances in the strongly-coupled partonic and hadronic medium, * Bulk matter phenomena associated with strange and heavy quarks, * QCD phase structure, * Collectivity in small systems, * Strangeness in astrophysics,* Open questions and new developments.

Quantum electrodynamics (QED) is the branch of relativistic quantum field theory that deals specifically with the interactions between charged particles. It is widely used to solve problems in many areas of physics, such as elementary particles, atomic and molecular systems, and solid state physics. This accessible text, Basics of Quantum Electrodynamics, supplies a solid foundation in this dynamic area of physics, making a direct connection to the concepts of quantum mechanics familiar to the advanced undergraduate student. Chapters cover the general theory of free fields and the quantization of the scalar, electromagnetic, and spinorial fields, which prepares readers for understanding field interactions. The authors describe the general theory of field interactions, introducing the scattering matrix and the Feynman-Dyson graphs. They then discuss divergence-free second-order processes, such as Compton and Moller scattering, followed by divergent second-order processes, which cover vacuum polarization and mass and charge renormalization. Providing a modern, informative textbook, this volume illustrates the intimate connection between quantum mechanics and QED in two basic steps: the quantization of free fields, followed by the theory of their interactions. The text contains solved problems to facilitate the application of the theory, as well as a useful appendix on the theory of distributions. The step-by-step description of the quantization of various fields and the clear presentation of the most important interaction processes in QED make this textbook a useful guide for those studying physics at both the graduate and undergraduate level, as well as a reference for teachers and researchers in the field.

Even though time-dependent spectroscopic techniques continue to push the frontier of chemical physics, they receive scant mention in introductory courses and are poorly covered in standard texts. Quantum Dynamics: Applications in Biological and Materials Systems bridges the gap between what is traditionally taught in a one-semester quantum chemistry course and the modern field of chemical dynamics, presenting the quantum theory of charge and energy transport in biological systems and optical-electronic materials from a dynamic perspective. Reviews the basics Taking a pedagogical approach, the book begins by reviewing the concepts of classical mechanics that are necessary for studying quantum mechanics. It discusses waves and wave functions and then moves on to an exploration of semiclassical quantum mechanics methods, an important part of the development and utilization of quantum theory. Time-independent and time-dependent perspectives The main focus of the book is the chapter on quantum dynamics, which begins with a brief review of the bound states of a coupled two-level system. This is discussed with a time-independent as well as a time-dependent perspective. The book also explores what happens when the two-level system has an additional harmonic degree of freedom that couples the transitions between the two states. The book reviews different ways in which one can represent the evolution of a quantum state, explores the quantum density matrix, and examines the basis for excitation energy transfer between molecules. Later chapters describe the pi electronic structure of conjugated organic systems and discuss electron-phonon coupling in conjugated systems and transport and dynamics in extended systems. Includes Mathematica (R) downloads On an accompanying website, Mathem

Quantum Information Processing and Quantum Error Correction is a self-contained, tutorial-based introduction to quantum information, quantum computation, and quantum error-correction. Assuming no knowledge of quantum mechanics and written at an intuitive level suitable for the engineer, the book gives all the essential principles needed to design and implement quantum electronic and photonic circuits. Numerous examples from a wide area of application are given to show how the principles can be implemented in practice.

This book is ideal for the electronics, photonics and computer engineer who requires an easy- to-understand foundation on the principles of quantum information processing and quantum error correction, together with insight into how to develop quantum electronic and photonic circuits.

Readers of this book will be ready for further study in this area, and will be prepared to perform independent research. The reader completed the book will be able design the information processing circuits, stabilizer codes, Calderbank-Shor-Steane (CSS) codes, subsystem codes, topological codes and entanglement-assisted quantum error correction codes; and propose corresponding physical implementation. The reader completed the book will be proficient in quantum fault-tolerant design as well.

Unique Features

Unique in covering both quantum information processing and quantum error correction - everything in one book that an engineer needs to understand and implement quantum-level circuits.

Gives an intuitive understanding by not assuming knowledge of quantum mechanics, thereby avoiding heavy mathematics.

In-depth coverage of the design and implementation of quantum information processing and quantum error correction circuits.

Provides the right balance among the quantum mechanics, quantum error correction, quantum computing and quantum communication.

Dr. Djordjevic is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering of College of Engineering, University of Arizona, with a joint appointment in the College of Optical Sciences. Prior to this appointment in August 2006, he was with University of Arizona, Tucson, USA (as a Research Assistant Professor); University of the West of England, Bristol, UK; University of Bristol, Bristol, UK; Tyco Telecommunications, Eatontown, USA; and National Technical University of Athens, Athens, Greece. His current research interests include optical networks, error control coding, constrained coding, coded modulation, turbo equalization, OFDM applications, and quantum error correction. He presently directs the Optical Communications Systems Laboratory (OCSL) within the ECE Department at the University of Arizona.
Provides everything an engineer needs in one tutorial-based introduction to understand and implement quantum-level circuitsAvoids the heavy use of mathematics by not assuming the previous knowledge of quantum mechanicsProvides in-depth coverage of the design and implementation of quantum information processing and quantum error correction circuits

This textbook offers a unique introduction to quantum mechanics progressing gradually from elementary quantum mechanics to aspects of particle physics. It presents the microscopic world by analysis of the simplest possible quantum mechanical system (spin 1/2). A special feature is the author's use of visual aids known as process diagrams, which show how amplitudes for quantum mechanical processes are computed. The second edition includes a new chapter and problems on time-dependent processes, in addition to new material on quantum computing and improved illustrations. Key Features: Provides a completely updated text with expanded contents. Includes a brand new chapter on time-dependent processes and expanded coverage of recent developments in particle physics. Emphasizes a visual approach employing process diagrams and utilizing new figures. Incorporates quantum information theory in a new appendix, with other helpful supplements on notation, lattice models, weak flavor mixing, and numerical simulations.

Magnetic and spintronic materials are ubiquitous in modern technological applications, e.g. in electric motors, power generators, sensors and actuators, not to mention information storage and processing. Medical technology has also greatly benefited from magnetic materials - especially magnetic nanoparticles - for therapy and diagnostics methods. All of the above-mentioned applications rely on the properties of the materials used. These properties in turn depend on intrinsic and extrinsic material parameters. The former are related to the actual elements used and their properties, e.g. atomic magnetic moment and exchange interaction between atoms; the latter are related to the structural and microstructural properties of the materials used, e.g. their crystal structure, grain size, and grain boundary phases. Focusing on state-of-the-art magnetic and spintronic materials, this book will introduce readers to a range of related topics in Physics and Materials Science. Phenomena and processes at the nanoscale are of particular importance in this context; accordingly, much of the book addresses such topics.

This new edition of a well-received textbook provides a concise introduction to both the theoretical and experimental aspects of quantum information at the graduate level. While the previous edition focused on theory, the book now incorporates discussions of experimental platforms. Several chapters on experimental implementations of quantum information protocols have been added: implementations using neutral atoms, trapped ions, optics, and solidstate systems are each presented in its own chapter. Previous chapters on entanglement, quantum measurements, quantum dynamics, quantum cryptography, and quantum algorithms have been thoroughly updated, and new additions include chapters on the stabilizer formalism and the Gottesman-Knill theorem as well as aspects of classical and quantum information theory. To facilitate learning, each chapter starts with a clear motivation to the topic and closes with exercises and a recommended reading list. Quantum Information Processing: Theory and Implementation will be essential to graduate students studying quantum information as well as and researchers in other areas of physics who wish to gain knowledge in the field.

At the close of the nineteenth century, we stood on the threshold of one of the greatest periods of science, in which the entire world and understanding of science would be shaken to the core and greatly modified. This explosion of knowledge led ultimately to that same information revolution that we live in today. Planck and Einstein showed that light was not continuous but made of small corpuscles that today we call photons. Einstein changed the understanding of mechanics with his theory of relativity: airplanes became conceivable; radio and television blossomed; and the microelectronics industry, which drives most of modern technology, came into being. New areas of science were greatly expanded and developed, and one of these was quantum mechanics, which is the story to be told here. Yet, the development of quantum mechanics and the leadership of Niels Bohr have distorted the understanding of quantum mechanics in a strange way. There are some who would say that Bohr set back the real understanding of quantum mechanics by half a century. I believe they underestimate his role, and it may be something more like a full century. Whether we call it the Copenhagen interpretation, or the Copenhagen orthodoxy, it is the how for the continuing mysticism provided by Mach that is still remaining in quantum mechanics. It is not the why. Why it perseveres and why it was forced on the field in the first place is an important perception to be studied. In this book, I want to trace the development of quantum mechanics and try to uncover the why.

This book is a rewritten and annotated version of Leo P. Kadanoff and Gordon Baym's lectures that were presented in the book Quantum Statistical Mechanics: Green's Function Methods in Equilibrium and Nonequilibrium Problems. The lectures were devoted to a discussion on the use of thermodynamic Green's functions in describing the properties of many-particle systems. The functions provided a method for discussing finite-temperature problems with no more conceptual difficulty than ground-state problems, and the method was equally applicable to boson and fermion systems and equilibrium and nonequilibrium problems. The lectures also explained nonequilibrium statistical physics in a systematic way and contained essential concepts on statistical physics in terms of Green's functions with sufficient and rigorous details. In-Gee Kim thoroughly studied the lectures during one of his research projects but found that the unspecialized method used to present them in the form of a book reduced their readability. He started the tedious work of rewriting and annotating them to fully understand the formalism of nonequilibrium quantum statistical mechanics. While doing so, he realized they can be a useful resource for students of modern physics but will have to be upgraded to match pace with the evolved curricula. Being aware that besides completing the course work and passing the relevant examinations, it is necessary for graduate students of modern physics to make the knowledge of a topic concrete in their minds. This book is a systematically prepared summary of those lectures and will be extremely useful for graduate students as well as senior researchers to settle down the key knowledge of the subject.

Rapid advances in quantum optics, atomic physics, particle physics and other areas have been driven by fantastic progress in instrumentation (especially lasers) and computing technology as well as by the ever-increasing emphasis on symmetry and information concepts-requiring that all physicists receive a thorough grounding in quantum mechanics. This book provides a carefully structured and complete exposition of quantum mechanics and illustrates the common threads linking many different phenomena and subfields of physics.

The Second Edition of Quantum Information Processing, Quantum Computing, and Quantum Error Correction: An Engineering Approach presents a self-contained introduction to all aspects of the area, teaching the essentials such as state vectors, operators, density operators, measurements, and dynamics of a quantum system. In additional to the fundamental principles of quantum computation, basic quantum gates, basic quantum algorithms, and quantum information processing, this edition has been brought fully up to date, outlining the latest research trends. These include: Key topics include: Quantum error correction codes (QECCs), including stabilizer codes, Calderbank-Shor-Steane (CSS) codes, quantum low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes, entanglement-assisted QECCs, topological codes, and surface codes Quantum information theory, and quantum key distribution (QKD) Fault-tolerant information processing and fault-tolerant quantum error correction, together with a chapter on quantum machine learning. Both quantum circuits- and measurement-based quantum computational models are described The next part of the book is spent investigating physical realizations of quantum computers, encoders and decoders; including photonic quantum realization, cavity quantum electrodynamics, and ion traps In-depth analysis of the design and realization of a quantum information processing and quantum error correction circuits This fully up-to-date new edition will be of use to engineers, computer scientists, optical engineers, physicists and mathematicians.

The ultimate non-technical guide to the fast-developing world of quantum computing Computer technology has improved exponentially over the last 50 years. But the headroom for bigger and better electronic solutions is running out. Our best hope is to engage the power of quantum physics. 'Quantum algorithms' had already been written long before hardware was built. These would enable, for example, a quantum computer to exponentially speed up an information search, or to crack the mathematical trick behind internet security. However, making a quantum computer is incredibly difficult. Despite hundreds of laboratories around the world working on them, we are only just seeing them come close to 'supremacy' where they can outperform a traditional computer. In this approachable introduction, Brian Clegg explains algorithms and their quantum counterparts, explores the physical building blocks and quantum weirdness necessary to make a quantum computer, and uncovers the capabilities of the current generation of machines.

Classical field theory predicts how physical fields interact with matter, and is a logical precursor to quantum field theory. This introduction focuses purely on modern classical field theory, helping graduates and researchers build an understanding of classical field theory methods before embarking on future studies in quantum field theory. It describes various classical methods for fields with negligible quantum effects, for instance electromagnetism and gravitational fields. It focuses on solutions that take advantage of classical field theory methods as opposed to applications or geometric properties. Other fields covered includes fermionic fields, scalar fields and Chern-Simons fields. Methods such as symmetries, global and local methods, Noether theorem and energy momentum tensor are also discussed, as well as important solutions of the classical equations, in particular soliton solutions.

Do we have free will? Is the universe compatible with God? Do we live in a computer simulation? Does the universe think? Physicists are great at complicated research, but they are less good at telling us why it matters. In this entertaining and groundbreaking book, theoretical physicist Sabine Hossenfelder breaks down why we should care. Drawing on the latest research in quantum mechanics, black holes, string theory and particle physics, Existential Physics explains what modern physics can tell us about the big questions. Filled with counterintuitive insights and including interviews with other leading scientists, this clear and yet profound book will reshape your understanding of science and the limits of what we can know.

A brief introduction to gravity through Einstein's general theory of relativity Of the four fundamental forces of nature, gravity might be the least understood and yet the one with which we are most intimate. From the months each of us spent suspended in the womb anticipating birth to the moments when we wait for sleep to transport us to other realities, we are always aware of gravity. In On Gravity, physicist A. Zee combines profound depth with incisive accessibility to take us on an original and compelling tour of Einstein's general theory of relativity. Inspired by Einstein's audacious suggestion that spacetime could ripple, Zee begins with the stunning discovery of gravity waves. He goes on to explain how gravity can be understood in comparison to other classical field theories, presents the idea of curved spacetime and the action principle, and explores cutting-edge topics, including black holes and Hawking radiation. Zee travels as far as the theory reaches, leaving us with tantalizing hints of the utterly unknown, from the intransigence of quantum gravity to the mysteries of dark matter and energy. Concise and precise, and infused with Zee's signature warmth and freshness of style, On Gravity opens a unique pathway to comprehending relativity and gaining deep insight into gravity, spacetime, and the workings of the universe.

From astrophysics to condensed matter theory, nearly all of modern physics employs the path integral technique. In this presentation, the developer of path integrals and one of the best-known scientists of all time, Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard P. Feynman, presents unique insights into this method and its applications. Avoiding dense, complicated descriptions, Feynman articulates his celebrated theory in a clear, concise manner, maintaining a perfect balance between mathematics and physics.
This emended edition of the original 1965 publication corrects hundreds of typographical errors and recasts many equations for clearer comprehension. It retains the original's verve and spirit, and it is approved and endorsed by the Feynman family. The opening chapters explore the fundamental concepts of quantum mechanics and introduce path integrals. Subsequent chapters cover more advanced topics, including the perturbation method, quantum electrodynamics, and the relation of path integrals to statistical mechanics. In addition to its merit as a text for graduate courses in physics, this volume serves as an excellent resource for professionals.

A pithy yet deep introduction to Einstein's general theory of relativity Of the four fundamental forces of nature, gravity might be the least understood and yet the one with which we are most intimate. On Gravity combines depth with accessibility to take us on a compelling tour of Einstein's general theory of relativity. A. Zee begins with the discovery of gravity waves, then explains how gravity can be understood in comparison to other classical field theories, presents the idea of curved spacetime, and explores black holes and Hawking radiation. Zee travels as far as the theory reaches, leaving us with tantalizing hints of the unknown, from the intransigence of quantum gravity to the mysteries of dark matter. Infused with Zee's signature warmth and fresh style, On Gravity opens a unique pathway to comprehending relativity, gravity, spacetime, and the workings of the universe.

Quantum Leap uses key events in the life of Polkinghorne to introduce the central ideas that make science and religion such a fascinating field of investigation. Sir John Polkinghorne is a British particle physicist who, after 25 years of research and discovery in academia, resigned his post to become an Anglican priest and theologian. He was a professor of mathematical physics at Cambridge University, and was elected to the Royal Society in 1974. As a physicist he participated in the research that led to the discovery of the quark, the smallest known particle. This cheerful biography-cum-appraisal of his life and work uses Polkinghorne's story to approach some of the most important questions: a scientist's view of God; why we pray, and what we expect; does the universe have a point?; moral and scientific laws; what happens next?

Chemical Reactivity in Quantum Mechanics and Information Theory introduces a thermodynamic-like description of molecular systems and provides an objective treatment of their fragments. The book formulates adequate entropic tools for probing in chemical terms and the electronic structure of molecules and rationalizing reactivity principles. It covers the information origins of chemical bonds, covalent/ionic composition, trends in molecular stability and reactivity, equilibrium polarizations and charge-transfer reconstructions of reactive complexes, as well as the phase/current promotions of molecular substrates. In addition, the book introduces a precise descriptor of molecular fragments and clarifies mostly intuitive semantics of several chemical concepts. Readers will find a precise and unbiased description of chemical reactivity phenomena in Donor-Acceptor systems in terms of quantum states and generalized concepts of Information/Communication theories.

This book aims to describe the physics of the integer and fractional quantum Hall effects (QHE) from a theoretical side. In the classical Hall effect, the Hall resistance is proportional to the applied magnetic field strength and varies continuously. So, the discovery of a stepwise change of the Hall resistance by von Klitzing in an ultra-thin layer of a MOSFET was a big surprise. The QHE is a macroscopic phenomenon and shows the exact quantum structure, which is one of the most fundamental phenomena in physics. The fractional quantum Hall effect has been explained assuming quasi-particles with fractional charges or Jain's composite fermions, the existence of which has not been verified experimentally. The author has been developing a theory based on a standard treatment of an interacting electron system without assuming any quasi-particle. This book will be easily understood by undergraduate students in physics. Knowledge of quantum field theory is needed to study Chapter 9.