CSE599 Schedule

Lecture transparencies, handouts, and assignments are also available.

Week1
March 29 Silicon Technology and Digital Logic
Course Introduction: Goals and outline
Integrated circuit technology: IC fabrication, Si and SiO₂, transistors, wire, digital logic
Digital computers: Limitations and benefits of machines that use discrete mathematics
Silicon-technology scaling: How, why, the physical limitations, the technological limitations

Week2
April 5 Theoretical Considerations in Computer Science
The foundations: Automata, Turing machines, computability, halting, Goedel undecidability
Hard problems: P versus NP, PSPACE
Ill-posed problems: Algorithmic complexity

Week 3
April 12 Information Theory
Algorithmic definition of information: The "bit", mutual information
Communicating information: Noise, channel capacity, signaling
Error correction: Principles, coding
Reliable computing: Extending error-correction principles to computation

Week 4
April 19 Thermodynamics
The thermodynamics of computing: Noise, entropy, reversible computation
Digital versus analog: Noise, accuracy, dynamic range, adaptation, density of states

Week 5
April 26 Neurobiology Fundamentals
Structural foundations: Neurons, dendrites, axons, synapses
Signals and signaling: Cell membranes, active channels, action potentials, saltatory conduction
Computational premise: Local learning, continuous adaptation, LTP, LTD, development, growth

Week 6
May 3 Neuronal Computation and Neural Networks
Information coding in the nervous system
Computational models: History, distributed representations, learning algorithms
Spike-based computing: Self-timed neuronal computation

Week 7
May 10 DNA Computing
Foundations and notation: DNA, RNA, protein synthesis, base pairs, ligands
Computational premise: Mapping sequential computations to DNA, self-assembly, Turing completeness
Technology and applications: Errors and correction, beyond toy problems

Week 8
May 17 Quantum Computing I
Foundations and notation: Spin, phase, states, superposition, Dirac notation
Computational premise: How does wavefunction coherence enable computation?
Quantum information theory

Week 9
May 24 Quantum Computing II
Technology: NMR, cavity QED, SQUIDS
Extracting the results from the machine: Factoring, other applications
Limitations: Wavefunction decoherence, error correction

Week 10
May 31 Holiday (Memorial Day)
Work on projects :-)

Comments to: cse599-webmaster@cs.washington.edu

Week1 March 29	Silicon Technology and Digital Logic Course Introduction: Goals and outline Integrated circuit technology: IC fabrication, Si and SiO₂, transistors, wire, digital logic Digital computers: Limitations and benefits of machines that use discrete mathematics Silicon-technology scaling: How, why, the physical limitations, the technological limitations
Week2 April 5	Theoretical Considerations in Computer Science The foundations: Automata, Turing machines, computability, halting, Goedel undecidability Hard problems: P versus NP, PSPACE Ill-posed problems: Algorithmic complexity
Week 3 April 12	Information Theory Algorithmic definition of information: The "bit", mutual information Communicating information: Noise, channel capacity, signaling Error correction: Principles, coding Reliable computing: Extending error-correction principles to computation
Week 4 April 19	Thermodynamics The thermodynamics of computing: Noise, entropy, reversible computation Digital versus analog: Noise, accuracy, dynamic range, adaptation, density of states
Week 5 April 26	Neurobiology Fundamentals Structural foundations: Neurons, dendrites, axons, synapses Signals and signaling: Cell membranes, active channels, action potentials, saltatory conduction Computational premise: Local learning, continuous adaptation, LTP, LTD, development, growth
Week 6 May 3	Neuronal Computation and Neural Networks Information coding in the nervous system Computational models: History, distributed representations, learning algorithms Spike-based computing: Self-timed neuronal computation
Week 7 May 10	DNA Computing Foundations and notation: DNA, RNA, protein synthesis, base pairs, ligands Computational premise: Mapping sequential computations to DNA, self-assembly, Turing completeness Technology and applications: Errors and correction, beyond toy problems
Week 8 May 17	Quantum Computing I Foundations and notation: Spin, phase, states, superposition, Dirac notation Computational premise: How does wavefunction coherence enable computation? Quantum information theory
Week 9 May 24	Quantum Computing II Technology: NMR, cavity QED, SQUIDS Extracting the results from the machine: Factoring, other applications Limitations: Wavefunction decoherence, error correction
Week 10 May 31	Holiday (Memorial Day) Work on projects :-)