Addressing Quantum Computing Challenges
A recent study from Google Quantum AI and other research institutes in Nature Physics addresses a major challenge in quantum computing—the susceptibility of qubits to errors, particularly bit-flip and phase-flip errors, which hinders the creation of a reliable quantum computer.
Introduction of Data Qubit Leakage Removal (DQLR)
The study identifies an additional source of errors arising from higher energy levels, known as leakage states, in transmon qubits, the superconducting qubits forming the basis of Google’s quantum processors. To overcome this, the researchers introduced a novel quantum operation called Data Qubit Leakage Removal (DQLR), specifically targeting leakage states in data qubits and efficiently converting them into computational states.
Effectiveness of DQLR
The study demonstrates that DQLR significantly reduces the average leakage state populations across all qubits, from nearly 1% to about 0.1%. Additionally, DQLR prevents a gradual rise in leakage of data qubits, which was observed before its implementation. The researchers conducted Quantum Error Correction (QEC) experiments with DQLR, showing a notable improvement in the detection probability metric, indicating successful QEC execution.
Overall, the introduction of DQLR represents a significant step forward in realizing a surface code QEC protocol on a large grid of transmon qubits, promising a reliable and functional quantum computer in the near future.
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