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Operators · Quantum error correction

Shor nine-qubit error-correction code

A foundational code record that compares quantum protection with the narrower classical repetition-code idea.

Strong empiricalUpdated

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logical qbit-flip blockphase-flip blockStep 1 of 3 · Encode · on logical qEncodeStep 2 of 3 · Syndrome · on logical q, bit-flip blockSyndromeStep 3 of 3 · Recover · on logical q, bit-flip blockRecover

3 steps across 3 wires. Hover a step, or press play to go through them in order.

Expected outcomes

  • Logical fidelity90%
  • Steps3
  • Wires3
  • Logical1 qubit
  • Physical9 qubits
  • Corrects1-qubit Pauli error
  • Papers2

Shor's nine-qubit code protects one logical qubit against an arbitrary single-qubit Pauli error by nesting two three-qubit repetition codes in complementary bases. First, ∣ψ⟩=α∣0⟩+β∣1⟩|\psi\rangle=\alpha|0\rangle+\beta|1\rangle is encoded phase-flip-style into α∣+++⟩+β∣−−−⟩\alpha|{+}{+}{+}\rangle+\beta|{-}{-}{-}\rangle using HH and CNOTs, then each of those three qubits is bit-flip-encoded via ∣0⟩→∣000⟩|0\rangle\to|000\rangle, ∣1⟩→∣111⟩|1\rangle\to|111\rangle, giving nine physical qubits. Ancilla-assisted stabilizer measurements (ZiZjZ_iZ_j within each triple, and XX-type parity across triples) identify which error class occurred — bit flip, phase flip, or both — without collapsing the encoded logical amplitudes α,β\alpha,\beta, and a decoder applies the matching Pauli correction. This record documents that stabilizer structure as a code-level reference, matching its own caveat: whether encoding nine noisy physical qubits actually beats one bare qubit depends on the calibrated noise model, since encoding, syndrome extraction, and ancilla errors can outweigh the protection on small noisy devices.

References

Strong empirical
  • Verified by construction
  • Peer-reviewed paper
Method
Bit-flip and phase-flip syndrome structure is represented as a code-level reference.
Result
Pass as a structural reference · no blanket hardware threshold claim.
Caveat
Encoding, syndrome extraction, recovery, and ancilla errors can outweigh the protection on small noisy devices.
Scheme for reducing decoherence in quantum computer memory ↗
Kind
curated reference
Reviewed by
LeonaQ literature curation pass
License
Public bibliographic link; code is an original reference sketch
error correctionstabilizerfault tolerantsyndrome
  • Fault-tolerant architecture education
  • Decoder and noise-model evaluation
  • Logical-memory experiments

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