Quantum convolutional code was introduced recently as an alternative way to
protect vital quantum information. To complete the analysis of quantum
convolutional code, I report a way to decode certain quantum convolutional
codes based on the classical Viterbi decoding algorithm. This decoding
algorithm is optimal for a memoryless channel. I also report three simple
criteria to test if decoding errors in a quantum convolutional code will
terminate after a finite number of decoding steps whenever the Hilbert space
dimension of each quantum register is a prime power. Finally, I show that
certain quantum convolutional codes are in fact stabilizer codes. And hence,
these quantum stabilizer convolutional codes have fault-tolerant
implementations.Comment: Minor changes, to appear in PR