Boson-sampling is a simplified model for quantum computing that may hold the key to implementing the first ever post-classical quantum computer. Boson-sampling is a non-universal quantum computer that is significantly more straightforward to build than any universal quantum computer proposed so far. We begin this chapter by motivating boson-sampling and discussing the history of linear optics quantum computing. We then summarize the boson-sampling formalism, discuss what a sampling problem is, explain why boson-sampling is easier than linear optics quantum computing, and discuss the Extended Church-Turing thesis. Next, sampling with other classes of quantum optical states is analyzed. Finally, we discuss the feasibility of building a boson-sampling device using existing technology.
@article{arxiv.1406.6767,
title = {An introduction to boson-sampling},
author = {Bryan T. Gard and Keith R. Motes and Jonathan P. Olson and Peter P. Rohde and Jonathan P. Dowling},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1406.6767},
year = {2015}
}