Experimental deterministic correction of qubit loss

Roman Stricker (), Davide Vodola, Alexander Erhard, Lukas Postler, Michael Meth, Martin Ringbauer, Philipp Schindler, Thomas Monz, Markus Müller and Rainer Blatt
Additional contact information
Roman Stricker: Universität Innsbruck
Davide Vodola: Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia dell’Università di Bologna
Alexander Erhard: Universität Innsbruck
Lukas Postler: Universität Innsbruck
Michael Meth: Universität Innsbruck
Martin Ringbauer: Universität Innsbruck
Philipp Schindler: Universität Innsbruck
Thomas Monz: Universität Innsbruck
Markus Müller: Swansea University
Rainer Blatt: Universität Innsbruck

Nature, 2020, vol. 585, issue 7824, 207-210

Abstract: Abstract The successful operation of quantum computers relies on protecting qubits from decoherence and noise, which—if uncorrected—will lead to erroneous results. Because these errors accumulate during an algorithm, correcting them is a key requirement for large-scale and fault-tolerant quantum information processors. Besides computational errors, which can be addressed by quantum error correction1–9, the carrier of the information can also be completely lost or the information can leak out of the computational space10–14. It is expected that such loss errors will occur at rates that are comparable to those of computational errors. Here we experimentally implement a full cycle of qubit loss detection and correction on a minimal instance of a topological surface code15,16 in a trapped-ion quantum processor. The key technique used for this correction is a quantum non-demolition measurement performed via an ancillary qubit, which acts as a minimally invasive probe that detects absent qubits while imparting the smallest quantum mechanically possible disturbance to the remaining qubits. Upon detecting qubit loss, a recovery procedure is triggered in real time that maps the logical information onto a new encoding on the remaining qubits. Although the current demonstration is performed in a trapped-ion quantum processor17, the protocol is applicable to other quantum computing architectures and error correcting codes, including leading two- and three-dimensional topological codes. These deterministic methods provide a complete toolbox for the correction of qubit loss that, together with techniques that mitigate computational errors, constitute the building blocks of complete and scalable quantum error correction.

Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2667-0

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