Error correction breakthrough to enable useful quantum computing
Photonic has introduced a new, low-overhead family of Quantum Low-Density Parity Check (QLDPC) codes that can perform both quantum computation and error correction using up to 20x fewer physical qubits than traditional surface code approaches.
The quantum error correction breakthrough is expected to accelerate the timeline to useful quantum computing.
“Unlocking the quantum logic of high-performance QLDPC codes has been the holy grail of quantum error correction R&D for decades, and one of the obstacles to cost-effective quantum computing at scale,” said Stephanie Simmons, Chief Quantum Officer at Photonic. “Today we’re announcing that we have cracked these codes. Today we’re launching fast and lean QLDPC codes, called SHYPS codes, that can run all quantum algorithms using up to 20x fewer physical qubits compared to the traditional approaches to error correction.”
To deliver the exponential computation speeds compared to known classical approaches for key computational challenges requires efficient error correction. The current use of surface codes for error correction introduces massive overheads for systems at scale — millions of physical qubits are needed to collectively act as the thousands of logical qubits required for impactful applications.
Quantum error correction is required to boost computation speed exponentially compared to known classical approaches for key computational challenges. Using surface codes for error correction introduces massive overheads for systems at scale — millions of physical qubits are needed to collectively act as the thousands of logical qubits required for impactful applications.
QLDPC codes provide a promising alternative to reduce overheads by 10 to 100 times. Even though they were introduced some 20 years ago and a decade of research has gone into using QLDPC codes practically, a paper titled “Computing Efficiently in QLDPC Codes” from Photonic is the first to demonstrate how to compute using SHYPS QLDPC codes. This breakthrough simultaneously delivers the efficiency gains promised by QLDPC codes and removes a key barrier to commercially useful quantum applications.
“This is a truly major milestone. The quantum field must now be divided into those whose hardware can run these new codes and those who can’t. We’re going to see a race between players that invest in the scarce skills required for in-house code innovation and those that seek to be fast followers,” said David Shaw, Lead Analyst, Global Quantum Intelligence. “Implementing logic always looked like the hard part of standing-up better codes. This new work has knocked it out of the park.”
The patent pending QLDPC code family has specific hardware requirements for implementation that not every approach to quantum computing can deliver. Photonic’s Entanglement First™ architecture provides the high levels of connectivity needed to realise the benefits of QLDPC codes, which have been stress-tested in the most extensive simulations, demonstrating that the logic works in practice. Further, the approach is implementable on distributed systems, working within and between modules.
Image: Connectivity diagrams of surface (left) and SHYPS (right) codes in practice. In a full implementation of SHYPS codes and comparably scaled implementation of surface codes, SHYPS codes rely on non-local connectivity across and between chips, while surface codes rely on nearest-neighbour connectivity across chips and edge-coupling between chips (neighbouring or otherwise).
White Paper: “Launching SHYPS: QLDPC is the New Error Correction”
Paper: “Computing Efficiently in QLDPC Codes”
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