Information and computation: Classical and quantum aspects

Quantum theory has found a new field of application in the realm of information and computation during recent years. This paper reviews how quantum physics allows information coding in classically unexpected and subtle nonlocal ways, as well as information processing with an efficiency largely surpassing that of the present and foreseeable classical computers. Some notable aspects of classical and quantum information theory will be addressed here. Quantum teleportation, dense coding, and quantum cryptography are discussed as examples of the impact of quanta on the transmission of information. Quantum logic gates and quantum algorithms are also discussed as instances of the improvement made possible in information processing by a quantum computer. Finally the authors provide some examples of current experimental realizations for quantum computers and future prospects.