Stability Experiments: The Overlooked Dual of Memory Experiments

Craig Gidney

doi:10.22331/q-2022-08-24-786

Stability Experiments: The Overlooked Dual of Memory Experiments

Craig Gidney

Google Quantum AI, Santa Barbara, California 93117, USA

Published:	2022-08-24, volume 6, page 786
Eprint:	arXiv:2204.13834v2
Doi:	https://doi.org/10.22331/q-2022-08-24-786
Citation:	Quantum 6, 786 (2022).

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Abstract

Topological quantum computations are built on a foundation of two basic tasks: preserving logical observables through time and moving logical observables through space. Memory experiments, which check how well logical observables are preserved through time, are a well established benchmark. Strangely, there is no corresponding well established benchmark for moving logical observables through space. This paper tries to fill that gap with "stability experiments", which check how well a quantum error correction system can determine the product of a large region of stabilizers. Stability experiments achieve this by testing on a region that is locally a normal code but globally has a known product of stabilizers.

Featured image: A physical error recurs throughout a short stability experiment, causing a logical error.

Popular summary

This paper proposes a simple experiment for benchmarking how good an error-correcting quantum computer is at combining a lot of measurements into one combined result. This is important to check because a computer system that can't reliably combine measurements can't be fault tolerant.

► BibTeX data

@article{Gidney2022stability,
  doi = {10.22331/q-2022-08-24-786},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.22331/q-2022-08-24-786},
  title = {Stability {E}xperiments: {T}he {O}verlooked {D}ual of {M}emory {E}xperiments},
  author = {Gidney, Craig},
  journal = {{Quantum}},
  issn = {2521-327X},
  publisher = {{Verein zur F{\"{o}}rderung des Open Access Publizierens in den Quantenwissenschaften}},
  volume = {6},
  pages = {786},
  month = aug,
  year = {2022}
}

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