Topological Subsystem Research Articles

Lifting Topological Codes: Three-Dimensional Subsystem Codes from Two-Dimensional Anyon Models

Topological subsystem codes in three spatial dimensions allow for quantum error correction with no time overhead, even in the presence of measurement noise. The physical origins of this single-shot property remain elusive, in part due to the scarcity of known models. To address this challenge, we provide a systematic construction of a class of topological subsystem codes in three dimensions built from Abelian quantum double models in one fewer dimension. Our construction not only generalizes the recently introduced subsystem toric code [Kubica and Vasmer, Nat. Commun. , 6272 (2022)] but also provides a new perspective on several aspects of the original model, including the origin of the Gauss law for gauge flux, and boundary conditions for the code family. We then numerically study the performance of the first few codes in this class against phenomenological noise to verify their single-shot property. Lastly, we discuss Hamiltonians naturally associated with these codes, and argue that they may be gapless. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Pauli topological subsystem codes from Abelian anyon theories

We construct Pauli topological subsystem codes characterized by arbitrary two-dimensional Abelian anyon theories–this includes anyon theories with degenerate braiding relations and those without a gapped boundary to the vacuum. Our work both extends the classification of two-dimensional Pauli topological subsystem codes to systems of composite-dimensional qudits and establishes that the classification is at least as rich as that of Abelian anyon theories. We exemplify the construction with topological subsystem codes defined on four-dimensional qudits based on the Z4(1) anyon theory with degenerate braiding relations and the chiral semion theory–both of which cannot be captured by topological stabilizer codes. The construction proceeds by "gauging out" certain anyon types of a topological stabilizer code. This amounts to defining a gauge group generated by the stabilizer group of the topological stabilizer code and a set of anyonic string operators for the anyon types that are gauged out. The resulting topological subsystem code is characterized by an anyon theory containing a proper subset of the anyons of the topological stabilizer code. We thereby show that every Abelian anyon theory is a subtheory of a stack of toric codes and a certain family of twisted quantum doubles that generalize the double semion anyon theory. We further prove a number of general statements about the logical operators of translation invariant topological subsystem codes and define their associated anyon theories in terms of higher-form symmetries.

Dualisation of free fields

We consider the general free field theory such that system of equations of motion includes a subsystem with a special property. If the subsystem is considered by itself, it would be a topological field theory having no local degrees of freedom. Various well-known field theories admit such a subsystem, including Einstein’s gravity. As the subsystem is a topological theory, the general solution is a pure gauge, modulo global degrees of freedom. Gauge symmetry of the subsystem of linear theory can be explicitly found, providing the general solution to the subsystem. Substituting this solution into entire system, we arrive at an equivalent field theory where the role of the field variables is played by the gauge parameters of the topological subsystem. These fields can be viewed as the potentials for the original ones. A general procedure is proposed for constructing a “parent action” which includes the fields of both dual formulations. At the level of this action, one can switch between dual formulations by imposing appropriate gauge fixing conditions. This general dualisation procedure is exemplified by massless and massive spin two fields. For the massless case, the hook type tensor serves as a potential for the metric, while for the massive case it is the fourth rank tensor with window Young diagram.

A topological flux trap: Majorana bound states at screw dislocations

The engineering of non-trivial topology in superconducting heterostructures is a very challenging task. Reducing the number of components in the system would facilitate the creation of the long-sought Majorana bound states. Here, we explore a route toward emergent topology in a trivial superconductor without a need for other proximitized materials. Specifically, we show that a vortex hosting an even number of flux quanta is capable of forming a quasi-one-dimensional topological sub-system that can be mapped to the Kitaev wire, if the vortex is trapped at a screw dislocation. This crystallographic defect breaks inversion symmetry and thereby threads a local spin–orbit coupling through the superconductor. The vortex-dislocation pair in the otherwise trivial bulk can harbor a pair of Majorana bound states located at the two surface terminations. We explain the topological transition in terms of a band inversion in the Caroli-de Gennes-Matricon vortex bound states and discuss favorable material parameters.

Fault-tolerant interface between quantum memories and quantum processors

Topological error correction codes are promising candidates to protect quantum computations from the deteriorating effects of noise. While some codes provide high noise thresholds suitable for robust quantum memories, others allow straightforward gate implementation needed for data processing. To exploit the particular advantages of different topological codes for fault-tolerant quantum computation, it is necessary to be able to switch between them. Here we propose a practical solution, subsystem lattice surgery, which requires only two-body nearest-neighbor interactions in a fixed layout in addition to the indispensable error correction. This method can be used for the fault-tolerant transfer of quantum information between arbitrary topological subsystem codes in two dimensions and beyond. In particular, it can be employed to create a simple interface, a quantum bus, between noise resilient surface code memories and flexible color code processors.

Simple scheme for encoding and decoding a qubit in unknown state for various topological codes.

We present a scheme for encoding and decoding an unknown state for CSS codes, based on syndrome measurements. We illustrate our method by means of Kitaev toric code, defected-lattice code, topological subsystem code and 3D Haah code. The protocol is local whenever in a given code the crossings between the logical operators consist of next neighbour pairs, which holds for the above codes. For subsystem code we also present scheme in a noisy case, where we allow for bit and phase-flip errors on qubits as well as state preparation and syndrome measurement errors. Similar scheme can be built for two other codes. We show that the fidelity of the protected qubit in the noisy scenario in a large code size limit is of , where p is a probability of error on a single qubit per time step. Regarding Haah code we provide noiseless scheme, leaving the noisy case as an open problem.

Quasiparticle localisation via frequent measurements

Topological quantum memories in two dimensions are not thermally stable, since once a quasiparticle excitation is created, it will delocalise at no energy cost. This places an upper bound on the lifetime of quantum information stored in them. We address this issue for a topological subsystem code introduced in [Bravyi S.{\em et al.}, Quant.~Inf.~Comp.~13(11):0963]. By frequently measuring the gauge operators of the code, a technique known as Operator Quantum Zeno Effect [Li Y. {\em et al.}, preprint arXiv:1305.2464], the dynamics responsible for quasiparticle motion is suppressed, and can eventually be ``frozen" in the large frequency limit. A feature of this method is that the density operator of the code does not commute with the measurement operators, so the density matrix will be randomised after a few measurements. However the logical operators commute with the measurement operators and are thus protected.

Topological subsystem codes from graphs and hypergraphs

Topological subsystem codes were proposed by Bombin based on 3-face-colorable cubic graphs. Suchara, Bravyi, and Terhal generalized this construction and proposed a method to construct topological subsystem codes using 3-valent hypergraphs that satisfy certain constraints. Finding such hypergraphs and computing their parameters, however, is a nontrivial task. We propose families of topological subsystem codes that were previously not known. In particular, our constructions give codes which cannot be derived from Bombin's construction. We also study the error recovery schemes for the proposed subsystem codes and give detailed schedules for the syndrome measurement that take advantage of the 2-locality of the gauge group. The study also leads to a new and general construction for color codes.

Universal topological phase of two-dimensional stabilizer codes

Topological phases can be defined in terms of local equivalence: two systems are in the same topological phase if it is possible to transform one into the other by a local reorganization of its degrees of freedom. The classification of topological phases therefore amounts to the classification of long-range entanglement. Such local transformation could result, for instance, from the adiabatic continuation of one system's Hamiltonian to the other. Here, we use this definition to study the topological phase of translationally invariant stabilizer codes in two spatial dimensions, and show that they all belong to one universal phase. We do this by constructing an explicit mapping from any such code to a number of copies of Kitaev's code. Some of our results extend to some two-dimensional (2D) subsystem codes, including topological subsystem codes. Error correction benefits from the corresponding local mappings. In particular, it enables us to use decoding algorithm developed for Kitaev's code to decode any 2D stabilizer code and subsystem code.

Optimal error correction in topological subsystem codes

A promising approach to overcome decoherence in quantum computing schemes is to perform active quantum error correction using topology. Topological subsystem codes incorporate both the benefits of topological and subsystem codes, allowing for error syndrome recovery with only 2-local measurements in a two-dimensional array of qubits. We study the error threshold for topological subsystem color codes under very general external noise conditions. By transforming the problem into a classical disordered spin model, we estimate using Monte Carlo simulations that topological subsystem codes have an optimal error tolerance of 5.5(2)%. This means there is ample space for improvement in existing error-correcting algorithms that typically find a threshold of approximately 2%.

Clifford gates by code deformation

Topological subsystem color codes add an important feature to the advantages of topological codes: error tracking only involves measuring two local operators in a two-dimensional setting. Unfortunately, currently known methods for computing with them are highly unpractical. We give a mechanism for implementing all Clifford gates by code deformation in a planar setting. In particular, we use twist braiding and express its effects in terms of certain colored Majorana operators.

Constructions and noise threshold of topological subsystem codes

Topological subsystem codes proposed recently by Bombin are quantum error-correcting codes defined on a two-dimensional grid of qubits that permit reliable quantum information storage with a constant error threshold. These codes require only the measurement of two-qubit nearest-neighbor operators for error correction. In this paper, we demonstrate that topological subsystem codes (TSCs) can be viewed as generalizations of Kitaev's honeycomb model to 3-valent hypergraphs. This new connection provides a systematic way of constructing TSCs and analyzing their properties. We also derive a necessary and sufficient condition under which a syndrome measurement in a subsystem code can be reduced to measurements of the gauge group generators. Furthermore, we propose and implement some candidate decoding algorithms for one particular TSC assuming perfect error correction. Our Monte Carlo simulations indicate that this code, which we call the five-square code, has a threshold against depolarizing noise of at least 2%.

Topological subsystem codes

We introduce a family of 2D topological subsystem quantum error-correcting codes. The gauge group is generated by 2-local Pauli operators, so that 2-local measurements are enough to recover the error syndrome. We study the computational power of code deformation in these codes, and show that boundaries cannot be introduced in the usual way. In addition, we give a general mapping connecting suitable classical statistical mechanical models to optimal error correction in subsystem stabilizer codes that suffer from depolarizing noise.