Coding like a photon: Quantum computation basics

In this masterclass, students will get an introduction to quantum computation basics.

Quantum systems can exist in superpositions, allowing a single physical process, such as a photon passing through an interferometer, to explore multiple possibilities at once. When these superposed paths recombine, interference enhances some outcomes and suppresses others, effectively performing computation through wave-like combinations of states.

Classical machines must check possibilities one at a time, while quantum devices process them simultaneously within one coherent evolution. This ability to encode, transform, and extract information through wave amplitudes is what gives quantum algorithms, such as the Deutsch–Jozsa algorithm, their advantage and forms the basis of quantum computational supremacy.

This event is open to Year 12 students interested in Maths or Physics.