Quantum state discrimination enhanced by path signature

Abstract

Quantum state discrimination plays an essential role in quantum technology, crucial for quantum error correction, metrology, and sensing. While conventional methods rely on integrating readout signals or classifying raw signals, we developed a method to extract information about state transitions during readout, based on the path signature method, a tool for analyzing stochastic time series. The hardware experiments demonstrate an improvement in transmon qutrit state readout fidelity from 85.9 ± 1.0% to 91.0 ± 0.5%, without the need for additional hardware. This method has the potential to become a foundational tool for quantum technology