Why Quantum Error Correction is Key

Quantum information is fragile; it can be destroyed through small interactions with the environment. Quantum error-correcting codes add redundant information in order to check for errors and correct them. Quantum low-density parity-check (qLDPC) codes make up a promising class of error-correcting codes. Recently, researchers at IBM introduced a powerful new type of qLDPC code called the bivariate bicycle (BB) code. In this video, we’ll see how parity checks work and how BB codes can make error-corrected “logical qubits” using about ten times fewer physical qubits than the next leading error-correcting code. Finally, we’ll discuss how this connects to Nighthawk, the new quantum chip from IBM Quantum and a key step on the road to large-scale fault tolerance. For more on quantum error correction, see https://quantum.cloud.ibm.com/learnin... and more on the IBM Quantum Platform https://quantum.cloud.ibm.com