Quantum error control codes

It is conjectured that quantum computers are able to solve certain problems more quickly than any deterministic or probabilistic computer. For instance, Shor's algorithm is able to factor large integers in polynomial time on a quantum computer. A quantum computer exploits the rules of quantum mechanics to speed up computations. However, it is a formidable task to build a quantum computer, since the quantum mechanical systems storing the information unavoidably interact with their environment. Therefore, one has to mitigate the resulting noise and decoherence effects to avoid computational errors. In this dissertation, I study various aspects of quantum error control codes - the key component of fault-tolerant quantum information processing. I present the fundamental theory and necessary background of quantum codes and construct many families of quantum block and convolutional codes over finite fields, in addition to families of subsystem codes. This dissertation is organized into three parts: Quantum Block Codes. After introducing the theory of quantum block codes, I establish conditions when BCH codes are self-orthogonal (or dual-containing) with respect to Euclidean and Hermitian inner products. In particular, I derive two families of nonbinary quantum BCH codes using the stabilizer formalism. I study duadic codes and establish the existence of families of degenerate quantum codes, as well as families of quantum codes derived from projective geometries. Subsystem Codes. Subsystem codes form a new class of quantum codes in which the underlying classical codes do not need to be self-orthogonal. I give an introduction to subsystem codes and present several methods for subsystem code constructions. I derive families of subsystem codes from classical BCH and RS codes and establish a family of optimal MDS subsystem codes. I establish propagation rules of subsystem codes and construct tables of upper and lower bounds on subsystem code parameters. Quantum Convolutional Codes. Quantum convolutional codes are particularly well-suited for communication applications. I develop the theory of quantum convolutional codes and give families of quantum convolutional codes based on RS codes. Furthermore, I establish a bound on the code parameters of quantum convolutional codes - the generalized Singleton bound. I develop a general framework for deriving convolutional codes from block codes and use it to derive families of non-catastrophic quantum convolutional codes from BCH codes. The dissertation concludes with a discussion of some open problems

New quantum codes from self-dual codes over F_4

We present new constructions of binary quantum codes from quaternary linear Hermitian self-dual codes. Our main ingredients for these constructions are nearly self-orthogonal cyclic or duadic codes over F_4. An infinite family of $0$-dimensional binary quantum codes is provided. We give minimum distance lower bounds for our quantum codes in terms of the minimum distance of their ingredient linear codes. We also present new results on the minimum distance of linear cyclic codes using their fixed subcodes. Finally, we list many new record-breaking quantum codes obtained from our constructions.Comment: 16 page

Quantum Error-Control Codes

The article surveys quantum error control, focusing on quantum stabilizer codes, stressing on the how to use classical codes to design good quantum codes. It is to appear as a book chapter in "A Concise Encyclopedia of Coding Theory," edited by C. Huffman, P. Sole and J-L Kim, to be published by CRC Press

Boolean Functions, Projection Operators and Quantum Error Correcting Codes

This paper describes a fundamental correspondence between Boolean functions and projection operators in Hilbert space. The correspondence is widely applicable, and it is used in this paper to provide a common mathematical framework for the design of both additive and non-additive quantum error correcting codes. The new framework leads to the construction of a variety of codes including an infinite class of codes that extend the original ((5,6,2)) code found by Rains [21]. It also extends to operator quantum error correcting codes.Comment: Submitted to IEEE Transactions on Information Theory, October 2006, to appear in IEEE Transactions on Information Theory, 200

Improved constructions of nested code pairs

Producción CientíficaTwo new constructions of linear nested code pairs are given for which the codimension and the relative minimum distances of the codes and their duals are good. By this we mean that for any two out of the three parameters the third parameter of the constructed code pair is large. Such pairs of nested codes are indispensable for the determination of good linear ramp secret sharing schemes. They can also be used to ensure reliable communication over asymmetric quantum channels. The new constructions result from carefully applying the Feng-Rao bounds to a family of codes defined from multivariate polynomials and Cartesian product point sets.The Danish Council for Independent Research (Grant N. DFF–4002-00367)Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad (Projects MTM2015-65764-C3-2-P and MTM2015-69138-REDT)University Jaume I (Grant N. P1-1B2015-02