Alexei Kitaev
Encyclopedia
Alexei Kitaev is a professor of physics
and computer science
at the California Institute of Technology
. He is best known for introducing the quantum phase estimation algorithm
and the concept of the topological quantum computer
while working at the Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics
. For this work, he was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship in 2008. He is also known for introducing the complexity class QMA
and showing that some local Hamiltonian problems are QMA-complete
.
Kitaev was educated in Russia, receiving an M.Sc from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (1986), and a Ph.D from the Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics
(1989). He served previously as a researcher (1999-2001) at Microsoft Research
and as a research associate (1989-1998) at the Landau Institute.
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
and computer science
Computer science
Computer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
at the California Institute of Technology
California Institute of Technology
The California Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Pasadena, California, United States. Caltech has six academic divisions with strong emphases on science and engineering...
. He is best known for introducing the quantum phase estimation algorithm
Quantum phase estimation algorithm
In quantum computing, the quantum phase estimation algorithm is a quantum algorithm that finds many applications as a subroutine in other algorithms...
and the concept of the topological quantum computer
Topological quantum computer
A topological quantum computer is a theoretical quantum computer that employs two-dimensional quasiparticles called anyons, whose world lines cross over one another to form braids in a three-dimensional spacetime . These braids form the logic gates that make up the computer...
while working at the Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics
Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics
The L. D. Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics of the Russian Academy of Sciences is a research institution, located in the small town of Chernogolovka near Moscow...
. For this work, he was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship in 2008. He is also known for introducing the complexity class QMA
QMA
In computational complexity theory, QMA, which stands for Quantum Merlin Arthur, is the quantum analog of the deterministic complexity class NP or the probabilistic complexity class MA...
and showing that some local Hamiltonian problems are QMA-complete
Complete (complexity)
In computational complexity theory, a computational problem is complete for a complexity class if it is, in a formal sense, one of the "hardest" or "most expressive" problems in the complexity class...
.
Kitaev was educated in Russia, receiving an M.Sc from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (1986), and a Ph.D from the Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics
Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics
The L. D. Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics of the Russian Academy of Sciences is a research institution, located in the small town of Chernogolovka near Moscow...
(1989). He served previously as a researcher (1999-2001) at Microsoft Research
Microsoft Research
Microsoft Research is the research division of Microsoft created in 1991 for developing various computer science ideas and integrating them into Microsoft products. It currently employs Turing Award winners C.A.R. Hoare, Butler Lampson, and Charles P...
and as a research associate (1989-1998) at the Landau Institute.