Quantum Engineering (QEng) M2

Quantum technologies from the mathematical and computer science perspective.

An overview

The QEng M2 option explores quantum technologies from a mathematical and computer science perspective. Details of the complete programme are given below but in general QEng covers:

The courses are designed to prepare students for research-level activities and consist predominantly of weekly 3 hour lectures with a few supplementary TDs. The program also includes a 4-month personal research project (see PRIM380 below). From the months of February/March students will undertake a 6-month research internship in another university or company.

Prerequisites: We have no formal prerequisites and will cover the background theory in QEng301. However, students that have never studied any quantum information theory or quantum computing before should be willing to engage in QEng301 to prepare themselves for the remaining courses.

How to apply

The number of places in the QEng option are limited and we are currently welcoming applications for the 2024-2025 edition. To apply, please send an email to Romain Alléaume (firstname.lastname@telecom-paris.fr). Your email must include:

To discuss aspects of the program or your application you are also welcome to email any of the other permanent members of the QURIOSTY team. Deadline: 15 April 2024

The courses

QEng301: Crash course in Quantum Physics, Quantum Information and Quantum Computing

Description: This course is designed to cover all of the necessary prerequisites for the later courses. In particular, we introduce the mathematical formalism behind quantum theory and cover basic topics found in introductory quantum computing and quantum information theory courses. This course is partly organized in a reverse classroom format where comprehensive lecture notes and exercises are distributed beforehand for students to engage with and then the classroom sessions are organized as discussions around the notes and exercises.

Dates: September       ECTS: 3

Lecturers: Romain Alléaume, Peter Brown, Augustin Vanrietvelde

QEng302: Quantum Hardware

Description: This course is taught in partnership with the ArTeQ programme at the ENS Paris-Saclay. It explores the various architectures used to build quantum technologies including superconducting qubits and photonics.

Dates: October - December       ECTS: 3

Lecturers: Pascale Senellart, Jean-Damien Pillet

QEng303: Quantum Information Theory

Description: This course explores information processing with quantum systems. In particular we explore tasks such as: quantum data compression, quantum channel coding and entanglement distillation. We will learn how quantum entropies help us to characterize the fundamental limits of these tasks, generalizing many classical results from information theory to understand the limits of quantum technologies.

Dates: October - December       ECTS: 3

Lecturers: Peter Brown

QEng304: Quantum Cryptography

Description: This course studies the use of quantum systems to achieve cryptographic tasks. We will explore the basic principles of quantum cryptography, the notions of security and key protocols that distinguish it from classical cryptography. We will cover quantum key distribution, protocols in networks and two-party quantum cryptography.

Dates: October - November       ECTS: 3

Lecturers: Romain Alléaume

QEng305A: Introduction to Quantum Computing

Description: In this course we will discover the mathematical formalism of quantum computing and explore quantum algorithms such as Grover's algorithm for quantum search and Shor's algorithm for factoring.

Dates: September - November       ECTS: 3

Lecturers: Benoît Valiron

QEng305Q: Advanced Quantum Computing

Description: In this course, we will move beyond mere examples of quantum algorithms and explore recent research about what quantum computers can and cannot do. We will study powerful primitives, such as the quantum singular value transform and the hidden subgroup problem, and tackle quantum complexity classes.

Dates: November - December       ECTS: 3

Lecturers: Augustin Vanrietvelde

QEng306: Quantum Error Correction and Diagrammatic Quantum Computing

Description: We will study the fundamentals of quantum error correction developing the framework of stabilizer codes which generalize linear codes from classical coding theory. In the second part of the course we will study a powerful diagrammatic approach to quantum computing known as ZX-calculus.

Dates: November - December       ECTS: 3

Lecturers: Renaud Vilmart

PRIM380: Research project

Description: This 4-month personal research project will be undertaken under the guidance of a supervisor with weekly meetings. You will tackle a real research problem within the wide field of quantum technologies (several previous projects have led to research articles). Recent projects included topics such as:

A short report will be submitted and you will defend your research at the end of January.

Dates: October - January       ECTS: 12

QEng308: Complex Quantum Systems

Description: This course delves into contemporary advancements in the theory of quantum computing and quantum information processing. It covers a spectrum of topics, ranging from demonstrating quantum advantage in sampling tasks with a specific focus on BosonSampling experiments, to exploring variational quantum algorithms tailored for solving constrained satisfaction problems and their interplay with the adiabatic model of quantum computation. Additionally, participants will be introduced to quantum state tomography, with the study of cutting-edge shadow tomography algorithms.

Dates: November - December       ECTS: 3

Lecturers: Cambyse Rouzé