Biography:Alexei Kitaev
Alexei Yurievich Kitaev | |
|---|---|
Алексей Юрьевич Китаев | |
| Born | August 23, 1963 |
| Alma mater | Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology |
| Known for | Kitaev chain Kitaev spin liquid Kitaev's periodic table Toric code Sachdev–Ye–Kitaev model Quantum phase estimation Solovay–Kitaev theorem Magic state distillation Gottesman–Kitaev–Preskill code Quantum threshold theorem QIP QMA |
| Awards |
|
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Condensed matter theory Quantum computing |
| Institutions | California Institute of Technology Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics |
| Thesis | Electronic properties of quasicrystals (Russian: Электронные свойства квазикристаллов) (1989) |
| Doctoral advisor | Valery Pokrovsky |
Alexei Yurievich Kitaev (Russian: Алексей Юрьевич Китаев; born August 26, 1963)[1] is a Russian-American theoretical physicist.
He is currently a professor of theoretical physics and mathematics at the California Institute of Technology.[2]
Kitaev has received multiple awards recognizing his contributions to quantum information science and condensed matter physics, particularly in quantum computation and topological phases of matter.
Life
Kitaev was educated in Russia, graduating from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology in 1986,[3] and with a Ph.D. from the Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics under the supervision of Valery Pokrovsky in 1989.[4][3]
Kitaev worked as a research associate at the Landau Institute between 1989 and 1998. Between 1999 and 2001, he served as a researcher at Microsoft Research.[3] Since 2002, Kitaev has been a professor at Caltech.[3]
In 2021, Kitaev was elected into the National Academy of Sciences.[5]
Research
Quantum computing and complexity
Kitaev has made contributions to quantum algorithms, quantum complexity classes, and fault-tolerant quantum computation.[6][7][8] He introduced the complexity class QMA (Quantum Merlin–Arthur) and proved that the k-local Hamiltonian problem is QMA-complete, linking ground-state energy problems for local Hamiltonians to questions in computational complexity.[9][10][7]
He introduced the quantum phase estimation algorithm, a general procedure for estimating eigenphases of unitary operators,[11][6][7] and independently proved what is now known as the Solovay–Kitaev theorem, which shows that a universal finite gate set can efficiently approximate arbitrary quantum operations on qubits.[7][12]
He proposed using topological phases of matter and anyons for fault-tolerant quantum computation, introducing the toric code (or surface code) as a paradigmatic error-correcting code. He also contributed to threshold theorems for fault-tolerant codes and co-developed protocols such as the Gottesman–Kitaev–Preskill code and Bravyi–Kitaev magic-state distillation.[13][7][8][14][15]
Topological phases and lattice models
Kitaev introduced exactly solvable lattice Hamiltonians that realize topologically ordered phases and anyonic excitations in two spatial dimensions. His toric code and related quantum-double models provide toy models realizing anyons and long-range entanglement.[13] His Kitaev honeycomb model is an exactly solvable spin-1/2 model that can realize non-abelian anyons; this model has become a common starting point for the study of "Kitaev quantum spin liquids" in candidate materials.[16][17]
He has also contributed to the classification of topological phases. He related two-dimensional lattice models of topological order to algebraic data describing the anyon types and their braiding, together with a bulk invariant specifying the chiral central charge.[16][18] His "periodic table for topological insulators and superconductors" uses K-theory and Bott periodicity to classify gapped free-fermion phases in different symmetry classes and spatial dimensions,[19] and in two dimensions he proposed the "16-fold way" classification of certain topological superconductors.[20] The so-called state introduced by Kitaev appears as a basic nontrivial 2+1-dimensional invertible phase, and his ideas have been used in generalized-cohomology classifications of symmetry-protected topological phases with symmetry group G.[21][22]
Kitaev has also contributed to the study of quantum chaos and holography through his work on the Sachdev–Ye–Kitaev (SYK) model.[23][24]
Honors and awards
| Year | Award | Institution | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | MacArthur Fellows Program | MacArthur Foundation | Contributions to the field of quantum computing and quantum physics[25] |
| 2012 | Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics | Breakthrough Prizes Board | For the theoretical development of implementing quantum memories and fault-tolerant quantum computation[26] |
| 2015 | Dirac Medal (ICTP) | International Centre for Theoretical Physics | For the interdisciplinary contributions in condensed matter systems and applications of these ideas to quantum computing.[27] |
| 2017 | Oliver E. Buckley Prize (with Xiao-Gang Wen) | American Physical Society | For theories of topological order and its consequences in a broad range of physical systems[28] |
| 2024 | Henri Poincaré Prize | International Association of Mathematical Physics | Contributions to the development of quantum computing, the study of quantum many-body systems and quantum information[29] |
| 2024 | Basic Science Lifetime Award | International Congress of Basic Science | Contributions to the development of quantum computing[30] |
Political activism
In March, 2022, he was one of 78 Breakthrough Prize Laureates whose names appeared on an "open letter" criticizing the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[31]
See also
- Kitaev chain
- Magic state distillation
- Quantum threshold theorem
- Quantum Interactive Polynomial time
- Solovay–Kitaev theorem
- Topological entanglement entropy
- Toric code
References
- ↑ Arantes, José Tadeu (2022-10-12). "Study makes spin liquid model more realistic" (in en). https://agencia.fapesp.br/study-makes-spin-liquid-model-more-realistic/39778.
- ↑ "Alexei Kitaev - Computing + Mathematical Sciences". https://www.cms.caltech.edu/people/kitaev#profile-44119cce-tab.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Neith, Katie (2012-08-01). "Caltech Physicist Wins $3 Million Fundamental Physics Prize" (in en). https://www.caltech.edu/about/news/caltech-physicist-wins-3-million-fundamental-physics-prize-23604.
- ↑ "Диссертации, подготовленные или защищенные в ИТФ им. Л.Д. Ландау" (in ru). http://www.itp.ac.ru/ru/dissertation-council/thesis/.
- ↑ "National Academy of Sciences Elects New Members — Including a Record Number of Women — and International Members - NAS" (in en-US). https://www.nasonline.org/news/national-academy-of-sciences-elects-new-members-including-a-record-number-of-women-and-international-members/.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "PIMS Distinguished Chair Alexei Kitaev receives Fundamental Physics Prize". 21 August 2012. https://pims.math.ca/news/2012/08/pims-distinguished-chair-alexei-kitaev-receives-fundamental-physics-prize.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 Nachtergaele, Bruno (2024). "2024 Henri Poincaré Prize Laudatio: Alexei Kitaev". https://www.iamp.org/poincare/ki24-laud.pdf.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Alexei Kitaev". https://www.cms.caltech.edu/people/kitaev.
- ↑ Kempe, Julia (2007). "The Complexity of the Local Hamiltonian Problem". Quantum Information & Computation 7 (1): 1–50.
- ↑ Kitaev, A. Yu. (1995). "Quantum measurements and the Abelian stabilizer problem quant-ph/9511026". arXiv:quant-ph/9511026.
- ↑ Dawson, Christopher M.; Nielsen, Michael A. (2006). "The Solovay–Kitaev algorithm". Quantum Information & Computation 6 (1): 81–95. doi:10.26421/QIC6.1-6.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Kitaev, A. Yu. (2003). "Fault-tolerant quantum computation by anyons". Annals of Physics 303 (1): 2–30. doi:10.1016/S0003-4916(02)00018-0. Bibcode: 2003AnPhy.303....2K.
- ↑ Gottesman, Daniel; Kitaev, Alexei; Preskill, John (2001). "Encoding a qubit in an oscillator". Physical Review A 64 (1). doi:10.1103/PhysRevA.64.012310. Bibcode: 2001PhRvA..64a2310G.
- ↑ Bravyi, Sergey; Kitaev, Alexei (2005). "Universal quantum computation with ideal Clifford gates and noisy ancillas". Physical Review A 71 (2). doi:10.1103/PhysRevA.71.022316. Bibcode: 2005PhRvA..71b2316B.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Kitaev, A. Yu. (2006). "Anyons in an exactly solved model and beyond". Annals of Physics 321 (1): 2–111. doi:10.1016/j.aop.2005.10.005. Bibcode: 2006AnPhy.321....2K.
- ↑ Takagi, Hidenori; Takayama, Tomohiro; Jackeli, George; Khaliullin, Giniyat; Nagler, Stephen E. (2019). "Concept and realization of Kitaev quantum spin liquids". Nature Reviews Physics 1 (4): 264–280. doi:10.1038/s42254-019-0038-2. Bibcode: 2019NatRP...1..264T.
- ↑ Ai, Yinghua; Kong, Liang; Zheng, Hao (2017). "Topological orders and factorization homology". Advances in Theoretical and Mathematical Physics 21 (8): 1845–1894. doi:10.4310/ATMP.2017.v21.n8.a1.
- ↑ Kitaev, Alexei (2009). "Periodic table for topological insulators and superconductors". AIP Conference Proceedings 1134 (1): 22–30. doi:10.1063/1.3149495. Bibcode: 2009AIPC.1134...22K.
- ↑ Bruillard, Paul; Galindo, César; Hagge, Tobias; Ng, Siu-Hung; Plavnik, Julia Yael; Rowell, Eric C.; Wang, Zhenghan (2017). "Fermionic modular categories and the 16-fold way". Journal of Mathematical Physics 58 (4): 041704. doi:10.1063/1.4982048. Bibcode: 2017JMP....58d1704B.
- ↑ Gaiotto, Davide; Johnson-Freyd, Theo (2019). "Symmetry protected topological phases and generalized cohomology". Journal of High Energy Physics 2019 (5): 007. doi:10.1007/JHEP05(2019)007. Bibcode: 2019JHEP...05..007G.
- ↑ Xiong, Charles Zhaoxi (2019). Classification and Construction of Topological Phases of Quantum Matter (PhD thesis). Harvard University. arXiv:1906.02892.
- ↑ Maldacena, Juan; Stanford, Douglas (2016). "Remarks on the Sachdev–Ye–Kitaev model". Physical Review D 94 (10). doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.94.106002. Bibcode: 2016PhRvD..94j6002M.
- ↑ Rosenhaus, Vladimir (2019). "An introduction to the SYK model". Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical 52 (32): 323001. doi:10.1088/1751-8121/ab2ce1. Bibcode: 2019JPhA...52.3001R.
- ↑ "Alexei Kitaev" (in en). https://www.macfound.org/fellows/class-of-2008/alexei-kitaev.
- ↑ "Breakthrough Prize – Fundamental Physics Breakthrough Prize Laureates – Alexei Kitaev" (in en). https://breakthroughprize.org/Laureates/1/L3.
- ↑ "Dirac Medallists 2015 | ICTP". https://www.ictp.it/home/dirac-medallists-2015.
- ↑ "Oliver E. Buckley Condensed Matter Physics Prize". https://www.aps.org/funding-recognition/prize/buckley-prize.
- ↑ Nachtergaele, Bruno. "2024 Henri Poincare' Prize Laudatio Kitaev". https://www.iamp.org/poincare/ki24-laud.pdf.
- ↑ "Edward Witten Receives Basic Science Lifetime Award in Theoretical Physics - IAS News | Institute for Advanced Study" (in en). 2024-07-10. https://www.ias.edu/news/edward-witten-receives-basic-science-lifetime-award-theoretical-physics.
- ↑ "Breakthrough Prize – An Open Letter From Breakthrough Prize Laureates" (in en). https://breakthroughprize.org/News/69.
External links
