A controlled-not gate, often abbreviated as CNOT, is a fundamental two-qubit quantum gate used in quantum computing. It flips the state of the second qubit (target) if the first qubit (control) is in the state |1\rangle, creating entanglement between the two qubits and playing a crucial role in quantum information processing with photons. This gate is pivotal in various quantum algorithms and protocols, allowing for the manipulation of quantum states and enabling complex operations essential for quantum computation.
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