Dr A. Short

Career

  • 2007-Present Royal Society University Research Fellow at the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge.
  • 2007-Present Senior Research Fellow at Wolfson College, Cambridge.
  • 2004-2007 Postdoctoral research associate in quantum computation and quantum information theory at the Physics department of Bristol University.

Research

Recent research into quantum information theory has given us a much deeper understanding of quantum theory, and has led to the development of powerful new techniques and concepts that can be applied to other areas of physics. Tony Short research programme focuses on the foundational insights that can be gained from this approach. Three particular areas he is currently interested in are:

  • Generalised non-signalling theories - We can view quantum theory in a general framework admitting other theories with similar (and even stronger) non-local properties. Comparing these theories may help us to understand why nature is quantum, or (if not) how to go beyond it to a deeper theory.
  • Entanglement and the foundations of statistical mechanics - One of thebiggest challenges in understanding statistical mechanics is its use of probabilities, which appear to reflect subjective ignorance. However, probabilities can also arise as an objective consequence of quantum entanglement, and this approach naturally yields canonical mixed states and equilibration. Can it underpin, and go beyond, standard statistical mechanics?
  • The continuum limits of quantum walks and quantum cellular automata - He plans to investigate how discrete quantum walks and quantum cellular automata relate to particle dynamics and quantum field theories in their continuum limits. Can quantum cellular automata simulate parts of the standard model, or perhaps even explain some of its structure?

Selected Publications

  • The use of information theoretic entropy in thermodynamics J.Ladyman, S.Presnell, A.J.Short., Studies in the History and Philosophy of Modern Physics, 39, 315 (2008).
  • Phase transition of computational power in the resource states for one-way quantum computation D.E.Browne, M.B.Elliott, S.T.Flammia, S.T.Merkel, A.Miyake, A.J.Short, New Journal of Physics, 10, 023010 (2008).
  • Classical simulability and the significance of modular exponentiation in Shor's algorithm N.Yoran, A.J.Short, Phys. Rev. A 76, 060302 (2007)
  • Quantum Nonlocality and Beyond: Limits from Nonlocal Computation, N.Linden, S.Popescu, A.J. Short, A.Winter, Phys. Rev. Lett. 99, 180502 (2007)
  • Efficient classical simulation of the approximate quantum Fourier transform, N.Yoran, A.J.Short, Phys. Rev. A 76, 042321 (2007)
  • The connection between logical and thermodynamic irreversibility, J.Ladyman, S.Presnell, A.J.Short, B.Groisman, Studies in the History and Philosophy of Modern Physics 38, 58, (2007).
  • Entanglement and the foundations of statistical mechanics, S.Popescu, A.J.Short, A.Winter, Nature Physics 2,754 (2006).
  • Classical simulation of limited-width cluster-state quantum computation, N.Yoran, A.J.Short, Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 170503 (2006).
  • Generalised entanglement swapping, A.J.Short, S.Popescu, N.Gisin, Quantum Information Processing: From Theory to Experiment (NATO science series: Computer and Science systems, vol 199), 99 (2006).
  • The physics of no-bit-commitment: Generalized quantum non-locality versus oblivious transfer, A.J.Short, N.Gisin, S.Popescu, Quantum Information Processing 5, 131 (2006).
  • Entanglement swapping for generalised nonlocal correlations, A.J.Short, S.Popescu, N.Gisin, Physical Review A, 73, 012101 (2006).
  • Practical implementations of twirl operations, M.S.Anwar, L.Xiao, A.J.Short, J.A.Jones, D.Blazina, S.B.Duckett, H.A.Carteret, Physical Review A, 71, 032327 (2005).
  • Momentum changes due to quantum localization, A.J.Short, Fortschritte der Physik 51, 498 (2003)
  • Fidelity of single qubit maps, M.D.Bowdrey, D.K.L.Oi, A.J.Short, K. Banaszek, J.A.Jones, Physics Letters A 294, 258 (2002).
  • Popper's experiment and conditional uncertainty relations, A.J.Short, Foundations of Physics Letters 14, 275 (2001).
  • Distinguishability of multipartite orthogonal quantum states, J.Walgate, A.Short, L.Hardy, and V.Vedral, Physical Review Letters 85, 4972 (2000).