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arXiv:quant-ph/0509060 · Physical Review Letters

Noise Thresholds for Optical Quantum Computers

Christopher M. Dawson, Henry L. Haselgrove, Michael A. Nielsen

Published Jan 17, 2006• 127 citations
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Abstract

In this Letter we numerically investigate the fault-tolerant threshold for optical cluster-state quantum computing. We allow both photon loss noise and depolarizing noise (as a general proxy for all local noise), and obtain a threshold region of allowed pairs of values for the two types of noise. Roughly speaking, our results show that scalable optical quantum computing is possible for photon loss probabilities <3 x 10(-3), and for depolarization probabilities <10(-4).

DOI
10.1103/physrevlett.96.020501

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In this Letter we numerically investigate the fault-tolerant threshold for optical cluster-state quantum computing. We allow both photon loss noise and depolarizing noise (as a general proxy for all local noise), and obtain a threshold region of allowed pairs of values for the two types of noise. Roughly speaking, our results show that scalable optical quantum computing is possible for photon loss probabilities <3 x 10(-3), and for depolarization probabilities <10(-4).
In this paper we do a detailed numerical investigation of the fault-tolerant threshold for optical cluster-state quantum computation. Our noise model allows both photon loss and depolarizing noise, as a general proxy for all types of local noise other than photon loss noise. We obtain a threshold region of allowed pairs of values for the two types of noise. Roughly speaking, our results show that scalable optical quantum computing is possible in the combined presence of both noise types, provided that the loss probability is less than $3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$ and the depolarization probability is less than ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$. Our fault-tolerant protocol involves a number of innovations, including a method for syndrome extraction known as telecorrection, whereby repeated syndrome measurements are guaranteed to agree. This paper is an extended version of Dawson et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 020501 (2006)].
The one-way quantum computing model introduced by Raussendorf and Briegel [Phys. Rev. Lett. 86, 5188 (2001)] shows that it is possible to quantum compute using only a fixed entangled resource known as a cluster state, and adaptive single-qubit measurements. This model is the basis for several practical proposals for quantum computation, including a promising proposal for optical quantum computation based on cluster states [M. A. Nielsen, Phys. Rev. Lett. (to be published), quant-ph/0402005]. A significant open question is whether such proposals are scalable in the presence of physically realistic noise. In this paper we prove two threshold theorems which show that scalable fault-tolerant quantum computation may be achieved in implementations based on cluster states, provided the noise in the implementations is below some constant threshold value. Our first threshold theorem applies to a class of implementations in which entangling gates are applied deterministically, but with a small amount of noise. We expect this threshold to be applicable in a wide variety of physical systems. Our second threshold theorem is specifically adapted to proposals such as the optical cluster-state proposal, in which nondeterministic entangling gates are used. A critical technical component of our proofs is two powerful theorems which relate the properties of noisy unitary operations restricted to act on a subspace of state space to extensions of those operations acting on the entire state space. We expect these theorems to have a variety of applications in other areas of quantum-information science.
Quantum computing is an exciting field that promises great improvements to our ability to solve certain intractable classes of problem. Implementing a quantum computer will require a physical system in which quantum effects are strongly evident. Many different physical systems have been proposed for this task, including ion traps, quantum dots, neutral atoms and photons. This thesis focuses on optical implementations of a quantum computer, and specifically on single-photon designs, as opposed to those utilising coherent states. Photonic systems have shown a great deal of promise for quantum computing tasks since it was shown by Knill, Laflamme and Milburn (KLM) that scalable efficient quantum computing could be performed using only linear optical elements and measurement. This was made viable through the use of error-correcting codes. The work in this thesis covers the use of error-correcting codes in single-photon linear optics quantum computing (LOQC). The central feature of these schemes is the parity code introduced by KLM and used to overcome the gate errors that are inherent in this type of LOQC. First is a discussion of an improved scheme that incorporates the fusion gates used in Browne and Rudolph's cluster state proposal in order to simplify the encoding and gate procedures. This results in high-probability gates with a resource usage comparable to the cluster state schemes. The remainder of the thesis examines the application of further error correcting codes to handle other errors that may arise in any practical implementation of an optical quantum computer. The most significant type of error in any optical system is photon loss, and hence an extension of the parity code is presented that allows loss errors to be detected and corrected. Procedures for performing universal quantum computation whilst employing this encoding are also described. These enable the establishment of loss thresholds for parity-state based LOQC, revealing this code is capable of handling up to 10\% loss in all elements during general computation, or 17\% if it is used solely as an active memory. Although loss is the most common type of optical error, other types of error will also become an issue when attempting to produce large quantum computing systems. An analysis of the error thresholds and resource usage which can be expected when applying a general error correcting code such as the Steane code to this type of LOQC system is also presented. The error thresholds and resource requirements established are greater than those found for cat state optical quantum computing, but fall below those calculated for cluster states. However, the resource requirements of the scheme are significantly smaller than the cluster state requirements for an equivalent circuit. Finally, a new experiment is proposed, achievable with today's technology, for testing the loss-tolerant encoding described earlier. Expansions of the experiment that would demonstrate tolerance of actual experimental error are also discussed.
We propose a measurement-based model for fault-tolerant quantum computation that can be realized with one-dimensional cluster states and fusion measurements only; basic resources that are readily available with scalable photonic hardware. Our simulations demonstrate high thresholds compared with other measurement-based models realized with basic entangled resources and 2-qubit fusion measurements. Its high tolerance to noise indicates that our practical construction offers a promising route to scalable quantum computing with quantum emitters and linear-optical elements.
A scheme for linear optical implementation of fault-tolerant quantum computation is proposed, which is based on an error-detecting code. Each computational step is mediated by transfer of quantum information into an ancilla system embedding error-detection capability. Photons are assumed to be subjected to both photon loss and depolarization, and the threshold region of their strengths for scalable quantum computation is obtained, together with the amount of physical resources consumed. Compared to currently known results, the present scheme reduces the resource requirement, while yielding a comparable threshold region.
Fusion-based quantum computation is a promising quantum computing model where small-sized photonic resource states are simultaneously entangled and measured by fusion gates. Such operations can be readily implemented with scalable photonic hardware: resource states can be deterministically generated by quantum emitters and fusions require only shallow linear-optical circuits. Here, we propose fusion-based architectures tailored to the capabilities and noise models in quantum emitters. We show that high tolerance to dominant physical error mechanisms can be achieved, with fault-tolerance thresholds of 8% for photon loss, 4% for photon distinguishability between emitters, and spin noise thresholds well above memory-induced errors for typical spin-photon interfaces. Our construction and analysis provide guidelines for the development of photonic quantum hardware targeting fault-tolerant applications with quantum emitters.