We consider design of the quantum stabilizer codes via a two-step, low-complexity approach based on the framework of codeword-stabilized (CWS) codes. In this framework, each quantum CWS code can be specified by a graph and a binary code. For codes that can be obtained from a given graph, we give several upper bounds on the distance of a generic (additive or nonadditive) CWS code, and the lower Gilbert-Varshamov bound for the existence of additive CWS codes. We also consider additive cyclic CWS codes and show that these codes correspond to a previously unexplored class of single-generator cyclic stabilizer codes. We present several families of simple stabilizer codes with relatively good parameters.
We consider design of the quantum stabilizer codes via a two-step, low-complexity approach based on the framework of codeword-stabilized (CWS) codes. In this framework, each quantum CWS code can be specified by a graph and a binary code. For codes that can be obtained from a given graph, we give several upper bounds on the distance of a generic (additive or nonadditive) CWS code, and the lower Gilbert-Varshamov bound for the existence of additive CWS codes. We also consider additive cyclic CWS codes and show that these codes correspond to a previously unexplored class of single-generator cyclic stabilizer codes. We present several families of simple stabilizer codes with relatively good parameters.
The codeword stabilized (CWS) quantum code formalism presents a unifying approach to both additive and nonadditive quantum error-correcting codes [IEEE Trans. Inf. Theory 55, 433 (2009)]. This formalism reduces the problem of constructing such quantum codes to finding a binary classical code correcting an error pattern induced by a graph state. Finding such a classical code can be very difficult. Here, we consider an algorithm which maps the search for CWS codes to a problem of identifying maximum cliques in a graph. While solving this problem is in general very hard, we provide three structure theorems which reduce the search space, specifying certain admissible and optimal ((n,K,d)) additive codes. In particular, we find that the re does not exist any ((7,3,3)) CWS code though the linear programming bound does not rule it out. The complexity of the CWS-search algorithm is compared with the contrasting method introduced by Aggarwal and Calderbank [IEEE Trans. Inf. Theory 54, 1700 (2008)].
The codeword-stabilized (CWS) quantum code formalism presents a unifying approach to both additive and nonadditive quantum error-correcting codes [see A. Cross et al., e-print arXiv:0708.1021], but only for binary states. Here we generalize the CWS framework to the nonbinary case (of both prime and nonprime dimensions) and map the search for nonbinary quantum codes to a corresponding search problem for classical nonbinary codes with specific error patterns. We show that while the additivity properties of nonbinary CWS codes are similar to the binary case, the structural properties of the nonbinary codes differ substantially from the binary case, even for prime dimensions. In particular, we identify specific structure patterns of stabilizer groups, based on which efficient constructions might be possible for codes that encode more dimensions than any stabilizer codes of the same length and distance; similar methods cannot be applied in the binary case. Understanding of these structural properties can help prune the search space and facilitate the identification of good nonbinary CWS codes.
Lifting an [n,k,d] Binary Linear Code to an [[n,k,d]] Quantum Stabilizer Code
The codeword stabilized (CWS) framework provides a systematic method for constructing quantum error correcting codes from a simple undirected graph and a classical code. When the underlying classical code is linear, the resulting quantum code is a stabilizer code. In this work, we investigate the conditions under which an arbitrary [n,k,d] classical binary linear code can be lifted to an [[n,k,d]] quantum stabilizer code using the CWS framework. We analyze the random CWS code constructed from a given [n,k,d] binary linear code C and an Erdős-Rényi random graph G(n,21). We establish a lower bound on the probability that the resulting quantum code preserves the minimum distance d of the classical code. This probabilistic analysis yields a Gilbert-Varshamov-type condition on the n,k,d parameters of the classical code that guarantees the existence of a graph resulting in a quantum code with the same n,k,d parameters.
We propose a systematic scheme for the construction of graphs associated with binary stabilizer codes. The scheme is characterized by three main steps: first, the stabilizer code is realized as a codeword-stabilized (CWS) quantum code; second, the canonical form of the CWS code is uncovered; third, the input vertices are attached to the graphs. To check the effectiveness of the scheme, we discuss several graphical constructions of various useful stabilizer codes characterized by single and multi-qubit encoding operators. In particular, the error-correcting capabilities of such quantum codes are verified in graph-theoretic terms as originally advocated by Schlingemann and Werner. Finally, possible generalizations of our scheme for the graphical construction of both (stabilizer and nonadditive) nonbinary and continuous-variable quantum codes are briefly addressed.
We propose a systematic scheme for the construction of graphs associated with binary stabilizer codes. The scheme is characterized by three main steps: first, the stabilizer code is realized as a codeword-stabilized (CWS) quantum code; second, the canonical form of the CWS code is uncovered; third, the input vertices are attached to the graphs. To check the effectiveness of the scheme, we discuss several graphical constructions of various useful stabilizer codes characterized by single and multi-qubit encoding operators. In particular, the error-correcting capabilities of such quantum codes are verified in graph-theoretic terms as originally advocated by Schlingemann and Werner. Finally, possible generalizations of our scheme for the graphical construction of both (stabilizer and nonadditive) nonbinary and continuous-variable quantum codes are briefly addressed.
Symmetry is at the heart of coding theory. Codes with symmetry, especially cyclic codes, play an essential role in both theory and practical applications of classical error-correcting codes. Here we examine symmetry properties for codeword stabilized (CWS) quantum codes, which is the most general framework for constructing quantum error-correcting codes known to date. A CWS code Q can be represented by a self-dual additive code S and a classical code C, i.,e., Q=(S,C), however this representation is in general not unique. We show that for any CWS code Q with certain permutation symmetry, one can always find a self-dual additive code S with the same permutation symmetry as Q such that Q=(S,C). As many good CWS codes have been found by starting from a chosen S, this ensures that when trying to find CWS codes with certain permutation symmetry, the choice of S with the same symmetry will suffice. A key step for this result is a new canonical representation for CWS codes, which is given in terms of a unique decomposition as union stabilizer codes. For CWS codes, so far mainly the standard form (G,C) has been considered, where G is a graph state. We analyze the symmetry of the corresponding graph of G, which in general cannot possess the same permutation symmetry as Q. We show that it is indeed the case for the toric code on a square lattice with translational symmetry, even if its encoding graph can be chosen to be translational invariant.