The Role of Entropy in Quantum Computation and Algorithms

Dear Colleagues,

Entropy, as a fundamental measure of uncertainty and information content, plays an important role in the theoretical and practical foundations of quantum computation and quantum information. Entropy-based measures are increasingly used to understand quantum machine learning, complexity theory, and quantum algorithm design. This Special Issue aims to explore the diverse ways in which entropy concepts—such as von Neumann entropy, quantum relative entropy, and entanglement entropy—inform the development of quantum algorithms, error correction, and information processing across both theoretical and applied contexts.

For this Special Issue, we welcome contributions that focus on (but are not restricted to) the following topics:

• Connections between entropy, coherence, and entanglement;
• Entropic perspectives on decoherence, noise characterization, and quantum channel capacities;
• Entropic bounds in quantum communication;
• Entropy measures in quantum complexity theory and resource theory;
• Quantum property testing/learning;
• Quantum algorithms for entropy-driven optimization and data analysis;
• Entropy-based applications in quantum cryptography and error correction;
• Entropy-guided hybrid quantum–classical frameworks;
• Entropy and information flow in quantum networks and distributed computation.

By gathering recent developments and innovative approaches, this collection aims to deepen our understanding of how entropy shapes the performance, scalability, and physical limits of quantum computing, fostering interdisciplinary dialogue across quantum physics, computer science, and information theory.

Dr. Qisheng Wang
Dr. Kean Chen
Prof. Dr. Masahito Hayashi
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Entropy is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.