QMC: a model checker for quantum systems

The novel field of quantum computation and quantum information has been growing at a rapid rate; the study of quantum information in particular has led to the emergence of communication and cryptographic protocols with no classical analogues. Quantum information protocols have interesting properties which are not exhibited by their classical counterparts, but they are most distinguished for their applications in cryptography. Notable results include the unconditional security proof [1] of quantum key distribution. This result, in particular, is one of the reasons for the widespread interest in this field. Furthermore, the implementation of quantum cryptography has been demonstrated in non-laboratory settings and is already an important practical technology. Implementations of quantum cryptography have already been commercially launched and tested by a number of companies including MagiQ, Id Quantique, Toshiba, and NEC. The unconditional security of quantum key distribution protocols does not automatically imply the same degree of security for actual systems, of course; this justifies the need for systems modelling and verification in this setting.

Conference took place: Princeton, NJ, USA, July 7-14, 2008