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arXiv · 2606.22418

A Three-Layer Architecture for Fault-Tolerant Quantum Computing

Zhirao Wang·Zhou You·Yiming Huang·Tianyi Li·Ying Li·Xiao Yuan·Yuan Yao
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Abstract

Fault tolerance is an indispensable prerequisite for constructing large-scale universal quantum computers. Drawing philosophies from classical computer architecture, this paper presents a hardware-agnostic three-layer high-level architectural framework for generic fault-tolerant quantum computation. Guided by the real execution workflows of fault-tolerant quantum algorithms, the proposed model is decoupled from specific physical qubit hardware platforms and quantum error correction codes, serving as a universal abstract standard rather than a platform-specific implementation scheme. Special attention is devoted to the intermediate Fault-Tolerance Layer, which serves as the architectural bridge between application-level logical programs and hardware-level execution. We systematically characterize its five internal components, the interfaces and data exchanged among them, and the execution, correction, and adaptation paths that together enable logical synthesis, fault-tolerant resources management, decoding, and runtime fault-tolerant control. An end-to-end example is further provided to illustrate the full-stack operating pipeline of fault-tolerant quantum algorithms under this framework. Given the increasing emphasis on modular, heterogeneous, and cross-layer fault-tolerant quantum systems, our architecture provides a unified foundational model for organizing such designs.

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Zhirao Wang, Zhou You, Yiming Huang, Tianyi Li, Ying Li, Xiao Yuan, Yuan Yao. 2026-06-21. A Three-Layer Architecture for Fault-Tolerant Quantum Computing. https://arxiv.org/abs/2606.22418

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