Error correction and decoding for quantum stabilizer codes

Abstract

Mapping the error syndromes to error operators is the core of quantum decoding network and the key step to realize quantum error correction. The definitions of the bit flip error syndrome matrix and the phase flip error syndrome matrix are presented, and then the error syndromes of Pauli errors are expressed in terms of the columns of the bit flip error syndrome matrix and the phase flip error syndrome matrix. It is also shown that the error syndrome matrix of a stabilizer code is determined by its check matrix, which is similar to the relationship between the classical error and the parity check matrix of classical codes. So, the techniques of error detection and error correction for classical linear codes can be applied to quantum stabilizer codes after some modifications. The error correction circuits are constructed based on the relationship between the error operator and error syndrom. The decoding circuit is constructed by reversing the encoding circuit because the encoding operators are unitary.