Quantum computing- Active quantum matter
Abstract
This proposal develops a theory of active quantum systems, which are driven out of thermal equilibrium by dissipation, decoherence, and-or measurement and feedback. The laws of statistical mechanics imply that in our low-dimensional universe, any future quantum computer should be an active system, if it is built out of qubits with spatially local interactions. Yet thus far, a universal and physically intuitive framework for understanding when, and how, active quantum systems can achieve what is forbidden in equilibrium has been lacking. This proposal will develop a new and comprehensive theoretical framework to understand and classify active quantum dynamics, and find all possible ways to protect a specific kind of quantum state in the presence of noise. The theory developed in this proposal reveals a profound connection between the active dynamics that drives quantum systems out of equilibrium, and quantum error correction. A key application of a theory of active quantum systems will be to improve the design of practical fault-tolerant quantum error-correcting codes and decoders. This proposal will improve known decoders for logical qubits stored in surface codes, for example, by reducing the amount of non-local classical computation needed to detect and correct errors, and by systematically incorporating hardware-specific errors, including non-Pauli errors that are challenging to model using current methods. Taking inspiration from classical statistical mechanics and the theory of Markov chains, analytic methods will be developed to bound fault-tolerance thresholds in new codes, thus reducing the need for large-scale computation to determine the error rates at which quantum computers can protect information for long times. The discovery of a new and overarching theoretical framework for active quantum matter could reshape our understanding of quantum information, atomic physics, condensed matter, and the links between these three fields. This proposal could lay a foundation for such a unifying framework.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Feb 06, 2025
- Source ID
- FA95502410120
Entities
People
- Andrew J. Lucas
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- Regents of the University of Colorado
- United States Air Force