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Acronyms are efficient only when the underlying subject is already clear. This index expands common abbreviations, gives the local meaning used in quantum mechanics, and routes to the nearest canonical page or roadmap.

Acronym Expansion Route
AMO Atomic, molecular, and optical physics. AMO Physics Roadmap
BEC Bose–Einstein condensate or condensation. Bosons
POVM Positive-operator-valued measurement. POVMs: First Encounter
QEC Quantum error correction. Quantum Information Roadmap
QFT Quantum field theory. QFT Bridge Index
QKD Quantum key distribution. Quantum Information Roadmap

When an acronym appears, ask whether it names:

  • a subfield, such as AMO or QFT;
  • a physical phenomenon or phase, such as BEC;
  • a formal object, such as a POVM;
  • a protocol family, such as QKD;
  • an engineering discipline, such as QEC.

The same abbreviation can carry different levels of specificity in papers, lectures, and device discussions.

  • M. A. Nielsen and I. L. Chuang, Quantum Computation and Quantum Information, Cambridge University Press, 2010.
  • C. J. Foot, Atomic Physics, Oxford University Press, 2005.
  • M. E. Peskin and D. V. Schroeder, An Introduction to Quantum Field Theory, Westview, 1995.