Homological Product Codes

Quantum codes with low-weight stabilizers known as LDPC codes have been actively studied recently due to their simple syndrome readout circuits and potential applications in fault-tolerant quantum computing. However, all families of quantum LDPC codes known to this date suffer from a poor distance scaling limited by the square-root of the code length. This is in a sharp contrast with the classical case where good families of LDPC codes are known that combine constant encoding rate and linear distance. Here we propose the first family of good quantum codes with low-weight stabilizers. The new codes have a constant encoding rate, linear distance, and stabilizers acting on at most $\sqrt{n}$ qubits, where $n$ is the code length. For comparison, all previously known families of good quantum codes have stabilizers of linear weight. Our proof combines two techniques: randomized constructions of good quantum codes and the homological product operation from algebraic topology. We conjecture that similar methods can produce good stabilizer codes with stabilizer weight $n^a$ for any $a>0$. Finally, we apply the homological product to construct new small codes with low-weight stabilizers.Comment: 49 page

Large Fourier transforms never exactly realized by braiding conformal blocks

Fourier transform is an essential ingredient in Shor's factoring algorithm. In the standard quantum circuit model with the gate set \{\U(2), \textrm{CNOT}\}, the discrete Fourier transforms $F_N=(\omega^{ij})_{N\times N},i,j=0,1,..., N-1, \omega=e^{\frac{2\pi i}{N}}$, can be realized exactly by quantum circuits of size $O(n^2), n=\textrm{log}N$, and so can the discrete sine/cosine transforms. In topological quantum computing, the simplest universal topological quantum computer is based on the Fibonacci (2+1)-topological quantum field theory (TQFT), where the standard quantum circuits are replaced by unitary transformations realized by braiding conformal blocks. We report here that the large Fourier transforms $F_N$ and the discrete sine/cosine transforms can never be realized exactly by braiding conformal blocks for a fixed TQFT. It follows that approximation is unavoidable to implement the Fourier transforms by braiding conformal blocks

Constructing Functional Braids for Low-Leakage Topological Quantum Computing

We discuss how to significantly reduce leakage errors in topological quantum computation by introducing an irrelevant error in phase, using the construction of a CNOT gate in the Fibonacci anyon model as a concrete example. To be specific, we construct a functional braid in a six-anyon Hilbert space that exchanges two neighboring anyons while conserving the encoded quantum information. The leakage error is $\sim$$10^{-10}$ for a braid of $\sim$100 interchanges of anyons. Applying the braid greatly reduces the leakage error in the construction of generic controlled-rotation gates.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, updated, accepeted by Phys. Rev.

Nonperturbative Formulas for Central Functions of Supersymmetric Gauge Theories

For quantum field theories that flow between ultraviolet and infrared fixed points, central functions, defined from two-point correlators of the stress tensor and conserved currents, interpolate between central charges of the UV and IR critical theories. We develop techniques that allow one to calculate the flows of the central charges and that of the Euler trace anomaly coefficient in a general N=1 supersymmetric gauge theory. Exact, explicit formulas for $SU(N_c)$ gauge theories in the conformal window are given and analysed. The Euler anomaly coefficient always satisfies the inequality $$. This is new evidence in strongly coupled theories that this quantity satisfies a four-dimensional analogue of the $c$-theorem, supporting the idea of irreversibility of the RG flow. Various other implications are discussed.Comment: latex, 27 page

Quantum Field Theory and Differential Geometry

We introduce the historical development and physical idea behind topological Yang-Mills theory and explain how a physical framework describing subatomic physics can be used as a tool to study differential geometry. Further, we emphasize that this phenomenon demonstrates that the interrelation between physics and mathematics have come into a new stage.Comment: 29 pages, enlarged version, some typewritten mistakes have been corrected, the geometric descrition to BRST symmetry, the chain of descent equations and its application in TYM as well as an introduction to R-symmetry have been added, as required by mathematicia

SU(m) non-Abelian anyons in the Jain hierarchy of quantum Hall states

We show that different classes of topological order can be distinguished by the dynamical symmetry algebra of edge excitations. Fundamental topological order is realized when this algebra is the largest possible, the algebra of quantum area-preserving diffeomorphisms, called $W_{1+\infty}$. We argue that this order is realized in the Jain hierarchy of fractional quantum Hall states and show that it is more robust than the standard Abelian Chern-Simons order since it has a lower entanglement entropy due to the non-Abelian character of the quasi-particle anyon excitations. These behave as SU($m$) quarks, where $m$ is the number of components in the hierarchy. We propose the topological entanglement entropy as the experimental measure to detect the existence of these quantum Hall quarks. Non-Abelian anyons in the $\nu = 2/5$ fractional quantum Hall states could be the primary candidates to realize qbits for topological quantum computation.Comment: 5 pages, no figures, a few typos corrected, a reference adde

27/32

We show that when an N=2 SCFT flows to an N=1 SCFT via giving a mass to the adjoint chiral superfield in a vector multiplet with marginal coupling, the central charges a and c of the N=2 theory are related to those of the N=1 theory by a universal linear transformation. In the large N limit, this relationship implies that the central charges obey a_IR/a_UV=c_IR/c_UV=27/32. This gives a physical explanation to many examples of this number found in the literature, and also suggests the existence of a flow between some theories not previously thought to be connected.Comment: 3 pages. v2: references added, minor typos correcte

Elastic effects of vacancies in strontium titanate: Short- and long-range strain fields, elastic dipole tensors, and chemical strain

We present a study of the local strain effects associated with vacancy defects in strontium titanate and report the first calculations of elastic dipole tensors and chemical strains for point defects in perovskites. The combination of local and long-range results will enable determination of x-ray scattering signatures that can be compared with experiments. We find that the oxygen vacancy possesses a special property -- a highly anisotropic elastic dipole tensor which almost vanishes upon averaging over all possible defect orientations. Moreover, through direct comparison with experimental measurements of chemical strain, we place constraints on the possible defects present in oxygen-poor strontium titanate and introduce a conjecture regarding the nature of the predominant defect in strontium-poor stoichiometries in samples grown via pulsed laser deposition. Finally, during the review process, we learned of recent experimental data, from strontium titanate films deposited via molecular-beam epitaxy, that show good agreement with our calculated value of the chemical strain associated with strontium vacancies.Comment: 14 pages, 11 figures, 4 table

Schmidt Analysis of Pure-State Entanglement

We examine the application of Schmidt-mode analysis to pure state entanglement. Several examples permitting exact analytic calculation of Schmidt eigenvalues and eigenfunctions are included, as well as evaluation of the associated degree of entanglement.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, for C.M. Bowden memoria