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arXiv:1508.01388 · Nature Communications

Repeated quantum error correction on a continuously encoded qubit by real-time feedback

Julia Cramer, Norbert Kalb, Michiel Adriaan Rol, Bas Hensen, Machiel Blok, Matthew Markham, Daniel J. Twitchen, Ronald Hanson, T. H. Taminiau

Published May 5, 2016• 247 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

Reliable quantum information processing in the face of errors is a major fundamental and technological challenge. Quantum error correction protects quantum states by encoding a logical quantum bit (qubit) in multiple physical qubits. To be compatible with universal fault-tolerant computations, it is essential that states remain encoded at all times and that errors are actively corrected. Here we demonstrate such active error correction on a continuously protected logical qubit using a diamond quantum processor. We encode the logical qubit in three long-lived nuclear spins, repeatedly detect phase errors by non-destructive measurements, and apply corrections by real-time feedback. The actively error-corrected qubit is robust against errors and encoded quantum superposition states are preserved beyond the natural dephasing time of the best physical qubit in the encoding. These results establish a powerful platform to investigate error correction under different types of noise and mark an important step towards fault-tolerant quantum information processing.

DOI
10.1038/ncomms11526

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Reliable quantum information processing in the face of errors is a major fundamental and technological challenge. Quantum error correction protects quantum states by encoding a logical quantum bit (qubit) in multiple physical qubits. To be compatible with universal fault-tolerant computations, it is essential that states remain encoded at all times and that errors are actively corrected. Here we demonstrate such active error correction on a continuously protected logical qubit using a diamond quantum processor. We encode the logical qubit in three long-lived nuclear spins, repeatedly detect phase errors by non-destructive measurements, and apply corrections by real-time feedback. The actively error-corrected qubit is robust against errors and encoded quantum superposition states are preserved beyond the natural dephasing time of the best physical qubit in the encoding. These results establish a powerful platform to investigate error correction under different types of noise and mark an important step towards fault-tolerant quantum information processing.
Abstract Solid-state spin qubits is a promising platform for quantum computation and quantum networks1,2. Recent experiments have demonstrated high-quality control over multi-qubit systems3–8, elementary quantum algorithms8–11 and non-fault-tolerant error correction12–14. Large-scale systems will require using error-corrected logical qubits that are operated fault tolerantly, so that reliable computation becomes possible despite noisy operations15–18. Overcoming imperfections in this way remains an important outstanding challenge for quantum science15,19–27. Here, we demonstrate fault-tolerant operations on a logical qubit using spin qubits in diamond. Our approach is based on the five-qubit code with a recently discovered flag protocol that enables fault tolerance using a total of seven qubits28–30. We encode the logical qubit using a new protocol based on repeated multi-qubit measurements and show that it outperforms non-fault-tolerant encoding schemes. We then fault-tolerantly manipulate the logical qubit through a complete set of single-qubit Clifford gates. Finally, we demonstrate flagged stabilizer measurements with real-time processing of the outcomes. Such measurements are a primitive for fault-tolerant quantum error correction. Although future improvements in fidelity and the number of qubits will be required to suppress logical error rates below the physical error rates, our realization of fault-tolerant protocols on the logical-qubit level is a key step towards quantum information processing based on solid-state spins.
Digital information based on the laws of quantum mechanics promisses powerful new ways of computation and communication. However, quantum information is very fragile; inevitable errors continuously build up and eventually all information is lost. Therefore, realistic large-scale quantum information processing requires the protection of quantum bits (qubits) against errors. In this thesis we present the experimental implementation of quantum error correction protocols based on spins in diamond. In such protocols, a quantum state is protected against errors by encoding in multiple qubits. Errors can be detected and corrected by measurement of correlations, so-called stabilizer-measurements, on these qubits.The experimental work presented in this thesis employs multiple spins in diamond as qubits to explore and implement error correction protocols. The nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centre in diamond is a lattice defect consisting of a nitrogen atom (N) and a vacancy (V) on two adjacent diamond lattice sites. This defect effectively results in an electronic spin that can be addressed as a qubit. The spin state can be manipulated by microwave fields and optically read out. At liquid helium temperatures (cryogenic temperature, ~4 K = -269 C), the NV electron spin provides high-fidelity single-shot readout and long coherence times.The NV centre is surrounded by naturally available (1.1% abundance) nuclear C13 spins. As the number of spins that are close enough to the NV centre to be strongly coupled is limited, we employ the weakly coupled nuclear spins in the spin bath of the NV centre. Using dynamical decoupling techniques these nuclear spins can be detected via the NV electron spin through the hyperfine interaction. The nuclear spins are long-lived and robust against optical excitation of the NV electron spin, which can make these spins a robust quantum register for quantum error correction.In Ch. 4 we demonstrate universal control over multiple of such weakly coupled nuclear C13 spins in the environment of the NV centre at ambient temperatures. We demonstrate initialization, control and read-out of individual nuclear spins. Finally, we implement a quantum error correction protocol by encoding a quantum state in the NV electron spin and two nuclear spins. Errors are detected by un-encoding the quantum state back to the electron spin and correction via a double controlled operation.For universal fault-tolerant quantum computations it is essential that the quantum information remains encoded at all times. In Ch. 5 we present multiple rounds of quantum error correction and active feedback on a continuously encoded qubit at cryogenic temperatures. A quantum state is protected by encoding in three weakly coupled spins. Errors are detected via high-fidelity non-demolition readout of the NV electron spin and actively corrected using fast classical electronics. We demonstrate that an actively error-corrected qubit is robust against phase flip errors and show that a superposition state can live longer than the best physical qubit in the encoding.The presented methods and results can be extended to a range of future experiments. In Ch. 6 we propose the implementation of five-qubit quantum error correction, the smallest code to correct for general single-qubit errors on the physical qubits in the encoding, by extending the experimental methods as developed in Chs. 4&5. Besides the exploration and development of larger error correction protocols and fault-tolerant quantum computing, the presented quantum register based in spins in diamond can be employed as a quantum node and combined with recent advances in the realization of quantum entanglement over large distances to form quantum networks. These networks can be used to study both fundamental questions as well as future applications in quantum information technology.
Quantum computers will eventually reach a size at which quantum error correction becomes imperative. Quantum information can be protected from qubit imperfections and flawed control operations by encoding a single logical qubit in multiple physical qubits. This redundancy allows the extraction of error syndromes and the subsequent detection or correction of errors without destroying the logical state itself through direct measurement. Here we show the encoding and syndrome measurement of a fault-tolerant logical qubit via an error detection protocol on four physical qubits, represented by trapped atomic ions. This demonstrates for the first time the robustness of a fault-tolerant qubit to imperfections in the very operations used to encode it. The advantage persists in the face of large added error rates and experimental calibration errors.
The realization of fault-tolerant quantum computation hinges critically on the ability to protect quantum information from environmental noise and operational imperfections. This paper presents an experimental demonstration of a logical qubit that exhibits suppressed data errors, robustly outperforming its constituent physical qubits and surpassing the crucial quantum error correction break-even point. We employed a novel superconducting circuit architecture based on a binomial encoding within a microwave cavity, coupled to an ancillary transmon qubit for real-time error detection and correction. Through precise control and rapid feedback mechanisms, we achieved a logical qubit lifetime significantly extended beyond the coherence limits of its individual physical components. The results show a quantifiable reduction in logical error rates, demonstrating the viability of active quantum error correction protocols to create more stable and reliable quantum information carriers. This work represents a significant step towards scalable quantum computing, establishing a foundation for building larger and more complex fault-tolerant quantum processors.
Quantum computers will eventually reach a size at which quantum error correction becomes imperative. Quantum information can be protected from qubit imperfections and flawed control operations by encoding a single logical qubit in multiple physical qubits. This redundancy allows the extraction of error syndromes and the subsequent detection or correction of errors without destroying the logical state itself through direct measurement. We show the encoding and syndrome measurement of a fault-tolerantly prepared logical qubit via an error detection protocol on four physical qubits, represented by trapped atomic ions. This demonstrates the robustness of a logical qubit to imperfections in the very operations used to encode it. The advantage persists in the face of large added error rates and experimental calibration errors.
Correcting errors in real time is essential for reliable large-scale quantum computations. Realizing this high-level function requires a system capable of several low-level primitives, including single-qubit and two-qubit operations, mid-circuit measurements of subsets of qubits, real-time processing of measurement outcomes, and the ability to condition subsequent gate operations on those measurements. In this work, we use a ten qubit QCCD trapped-ion quantum computer to encode a single logical qubit using the [[7,1,3]][[7,1,3]][[7,1,3]] color code, first proposed by Steane~\cite{steane1996error}. The logical qubit is initialized into the eigenstates of three mutually unbiased bases using an encoding circuit, and we measure an average logical SPAM error of 1.7(6)×10−31.7(6) \times 10^{-3}1.7(6)×10−3, compared to the average physical SPAM error 2.4(8)×10−32.4(8) \times 10^{-3}2.4(8)×10−3 of our qubits. We then perform multiple syndrome measurements on the encoded qubit, using a real-time decoder to determine any necessary corrections that are done either as software updates to the Pauli frame or as physically applied gates. Moreover, these procedures are done repeatedly while maintaining coherence, demonstrating a dynamically protected logical qubit memory. Additionally, we demonstrate non-Clifford qubit operations by encoding a logical magic state with an error rate below the threshold required for magic state distillation. Finally, we present system-level simulations that allow us to identify key hardware upgrades that may enable the system to reach the pseudo-threshold.