Quantum Essentials

Your quantum map

Each tile is one area of quantum technology, from the European Competence Framework for Quantum Technologies. Finish a chapter and the tiles it covers fill in. Quantum Essentials covers the first level, A1, in all eight.

Turn on "Save my progress" at the end of any chapter and your map fills in as you go.

Your quantum map: each area of quantum technology by level, and how many of its chapters you have finished
Area	A1 · Awareness	A2 · Literacy	B1 · Utilisation
FoundationsD1 · Concepts and foundations	0 of 8 chapters Chapters What is quantum technology, and why now? Why does the small world come in steps? What is superposition, really? What does measuring actually do? What is interference, and why does everything depend on it? What is entanglement? What do the interpretations say, and how does popular culture show them? Can you explain quantum technology in your own words?	Quantum Mechanics (The Theoretical Minimum, Winter 2012)Stanford University, Leonard Susskind · Video · freeTen relaxed lectures on superposition, measurement and entanglement, with light maths.	Understanding Quantum Information & Computation With John WatrousQiskit (IBM) · Video · freeA university-level video course on states, measurement, circuits and entanglement.
Physics behind itD2 · Physical foundations	0 of 3 chapters Chapters Why does the small world come in steps? What does measuring actually do? Can you explain quantum technology in your own words?	University Physics Volume 3, chapter 6: Photons and Matter WavesOpenStax (Rice University) · Reading · freeA free textbook chapter on photons, the Bohr atom and matter waves.	Quantum Physics I (8.04, Spring 2013)MIT OpenCourseWare · Course · freeA full undergraduate quantum physics course with lecture videos and problem sets.
Enabling technologiesD3 · Enabling technologies	0 of 2 chapters Chapters Why are qubits fragile, and how do we fix that? Can you explain quantum technology in your own words?	The Building Blocks of a Quantum Computer: Part 2, Module 1TU Delft OpenCourseWare and QuTech · Course · freeVideos on how qubits connect to control electronics, with readings on cryogenics.	Fundamentals of Photonics: Quantum Electronics (6.974, Spring 2006)MIT OpenCourseWare · Course · freeGraduate lecture notes on lasers and optics, the photonics behind quantum devices.
HardwareD4 · Quantum hardware	0 of 4 chapters Chapters How do you build a qubit from circuits, ions and atoms? How do you build a qubit from light, silicon, Majoranas and annealers? Which quantum computing approach is winning? Can you explain quantum technology in your own words?	The Building Blocks of a Quantum Computer: Part 1TU Delft OpenCourseWare and QuTech · Course · freeHow superconducting, spin, diamond and topological qubits are built.	A Quantum Engineer's Guide to Superconducting QubitsKrantz and others, MIT (arXiv) · Reading · freeA widely used engineering guide to designing, controlling and reading superconducting qubits.
Computing and algorithmsD5 · Quantum computing and simulation	0 of 5 chapters Chapters What is a qubit, and what does a quantum computer actually do? Why are qubits fragile, and how do we fix that? How does quantum keep secrets, and will it break today's encryption? What can quantum computers do today, and what's still to come? Can you explain quantum technology in your own words?	Quantum Computing for the Very CuriousAndy Matuschak and Michael Nielsen · Reading · freeA patient essay on qubits, gates and circuits, with questions that help it stick.	PennyLane CodebookXanadu · Course · freeHands-on coding exercises from basic gates to Grover, Shor and error correction.
SensingD6 · Sensors and imaging	0 of 3 chapters Chapters How does quantum sensing work, and where is it used today? What can quantum computers do today, and what's still to come? Can you explain quantum technology in your own words?	The future of measurement with quantum sensors - with The National Physical LaboratoryThe Royal Institution · Video · freeAn hour-long talk from the UK's measurement lab on magnetometers and gravity sensors.	Quantum sensingDegen, Reinhard and Cappellaro (Reviews of Modern Physics, arXiv) · Reading · freeA widely cited review of sensing methods, platforms, magnetometers and clocks.
Communication and securityD7 · Communication and networks	0 of 4 chapters Chapters What is entanglement? How does quantum keep secrets, and will it break today's encryption? What can quantum computers do today, and what's still to come? Can you explain quantum technology in your own words?	Next steps in preparing for post-quantum cryptographyNational Cyber Security Centre · Reading · freePlain UK guidance on why quantum threatens encryption and how the switch works.	Quantum CryptographyTU Delft OpenCourseWare and Caltech · Course · freeA master's-level course on quantum key distribution and its security proofs.
Industry and societyD8 · Valorisation	0 of 6 chapters Chapters What is quantum technology, and why now? Which quantum computing approach is winning? What can quantum computers do today, and what's still to come? Who is building quantum technology, and where is the money going? How do you tell quantum hype from the real thing? Can you explain quantum technology in your own words?	Quantum Business FoundationsIBM Quantum · Course · freeA course for non-specialists on business uses of quantum and getting ready for it.	National Quantum StrategyDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technology · Reading · freeThe UK's ten-year plan, with its missions and technical annexes.

The A2 and B1 links go to other providers' free courses, videos and readings. We don't run them, and they may change.

Source: European Competence Framework for Quantum Technologies, version 3.0.