Abstract: Information is physical! Be it classical or quantum information transmission, storage, processing, and retrieval is done by devices obeying physical principles subject to restrictions that arise, for example, by conservation laws. As such, it is imperative to understand the limitations such restrictions impose to information processing. In this talk I present a series of problems in quantum information theory where symmetry can be a hinderance and/or a blessing. I will demonstrate how one can exploit symmetry to construct realistic codes for transmitting both classical and quantum information down noisy channels, protocols for compressing and copying quantum circuits, as well as metrological schemes for imaging and time-keeping that operate at the quantum mechanical limit. More profoundly, I hope to convince you that symmetry, and symmetry alone, is enough to explain the absence of macroscopic quantum phenomena from our everyday experience.

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Daniel Manzano

Electromagnetism and Condensed Matter Department

Institute “Carlos I” for Theoretical and Computational Physics

University of Granada

Facultad de Ciencias, Av. Fuentenueva s/n

Granada 18071, Spain

Phone: +34 958241000 Ext: 20569

http://ic1.ugr.es/manzano/