arXiv subjects

Nathan Lacroix

Publications and source records attributed to Nathan Lacroix.

16 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

Magic state cultivation on a superconducting quantum processor

Fault-tolerant quantum computing requires a universal gate set, but the necessary non-Clifford gates represent a significant resource cost for most quantum error correction architectures. Magic state cultivation offers an efficient alternative to resource-intensive distillation protocols; however, testing the proposal's assumptions represents a challenging departure from quantum memory experiments. We present an experimental study of magic state cultivation on a superconducting quantum processor. We implement cultivation, including code-switching into a surface code, and develop a fault-tolerant measurement protocol to bound the magic state fidelity. Cultivation reduces the error by a factor of 40, with a state fidelity of 0.9999(1) (retaining 8% of attempts). Our results experimentally establish magic state cultivation as a viable solution to one of quantum computing's most significant challenges.

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arXiv2025

Realizing a Continuous Set of Two-Qubit Gates Parameterized by an Idle Time

Continuous gate sets are a key ingredient for near-term quantum algorithms. Here, we demonstrate a hardware-efficient, continuous set of controlled arbitrary-phase ($\mathrm{C}Z_{\theta}$) gates acting on flux-tunable transmon qubits. This implementation is robust to control pulse distortions on time scales longer than the duration of the gate, making it suitable for deep quantum circuits. Our calibration procedure makes it possible to parameterize the continuous gate set with a single control parameter, the idle time between the two rectangular halves of the net-zero control pulse. For calibration and characterization, we develop a leakage measurement based on coherent amplification, and a new cycle design for cross-entropy benchmarking. We demonstrate gate errors of $0.7 \%$ and leakage of $4\times 10^{-4}$ across the entire gate set. This native gate set has the potential to reduce the depth and improve the performance of near-term quantum algorithms compared to decompositions into $\mathrm{C}Z_{\pi}$ gates and single-qubit gates. Moreover, we expect the calibration and benchmarking methods to find further possible applications.

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arXiv2025

Calibrating Magnetic Flux Control in Superconducting Circuits by Compensating Distortions on Time Scales from Nanoseconds up to Tens of Microseconds

Fast tuning of the transition frequency of superconducting qubits using magnetic flux is essential, for example, for realizing high-fidelity two-qubit gates with low leakage or for reducing errors in dispersive qubit readout. To apply accurately shaped flux pulses, signal distortions induced by the flux control lines need to be carefully compensated for. This requires their in situ characterization at the reference plane of the qubit. However, many existing approaches are limited in time resolution or in pulse duration. Here, we overcome these limitations and demonstrate accurate flux control with sub-permille residual frequency errors on time scales ranging from nanoseconds to tens of microseconds. We achieve this by combining two complementary methods to characterize and compensate for pulse distortions. We have deployed this approach successfully in a quantum error correction experiment calibrating 24 flux-activated two-qubit gates. Reliable calibration methods, as the ones presented here, are essential in experiments scaling up superconducting quantum processors.

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arXiv2025

Experimentally Informed Decoding of Stabilizer Codes Based on Syndrome Correlations

High-fidelity decoding of quantum error correction codes relies on an accurate experimental model of the physical errors occurring in the device. Because error probabilities can depend on the context of the applied operations, the error model is ideally calibrated using the same circuit as is used for the error correction experiment. Here, we present an experimental approach guided by a novel analytical formula to characterize the probability of independent errors using correlations in the syndrome data generated by executing the error correction circuit. Using the method on a distance-three surface code, we analyze error channels that flip an arbitrary number of syndrome elements, including Pauli Y errors, hook errors, multi-qubit errors, and leakage, in addition to standard Pauli X and Z errors. We use the method to find the optimal weights for a minimum-weight perfect matching decoder without relying on a theoretical error model. Additionally, we investigate whether improved knowledge of the Pauli Y error channel, based on correlating the X- and Z-type error syndromes, can be exploited to enhance matching decoding. Furthermore, we find correlated errors that flip many syndrome elements over up-to-eight cycles, potentially caused by leakage of the data qubits out of the computational subspace. The presented method provides the tools for accurately calibrating a broad family of decoders, beyond the minimum-weight perfect matching decoder, without relying on prior knowledge of the error model.

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arXiv2025

Realizing Lattice Surgery on Two Distance-Three Repetition Codes with Superconducting Qubits

Quantum error correction is needed for quantum computers to be capable of fault-tolerantly executing algorithms using hundreds of logical qubits. Recent experiments have demonstrated subthreshold error rates for state preservation of a single logical qubit. In addition, the realization of universal quantum computation requires the implementation of logical entangling gates. Lattice surgery offers a practical approach for implementing such gates, particularly in planar quantum processor layouts. In this work, we demonstrate lattice surgery between two distance-three repetition-code qubits by splitting a single distance-three surface-code qubit. Using a quantum circuit fault-tolerant to bit-flip errors, we achieve an improvement in the value of the decoded $ZZ$ logical two-qubit observable compared to a similar non-encoded circuit. By preparing the surface-code qubit in initial states parametrized by a varying polar angle, we evaluate the performance of the lattice surgery operation for non-cardinal states on the logical Bloch sphere and employ logical two-qubit tomography to reconstruct the Pauli transfer matrix of the operation. In this way, we demonstrate the functional building blocks needed for lattice surgery operations on larger-distance codes based on superconducting circuits.

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arXiv2024

Scaling and logic in the color code on a superconducting quantum processor

Quantum error correction is essential for bridging the gap between the error rates of physical devices and the extremely low logical error rates required for quantum algorithms. Recent error-correction demonstrations on superconducting processors have focused primarily on the surface code, which offers a high error threshold but poses limitations for logical operations. In contrast, the color code enables much more efficient logic, although it requires more complex stabilizer measurements and decoding techniques. Measuring these stabilizers in planar architectures such as superconducting qubits is challenging, and so far, realizations of color codes have not addressed performance scaling with code size on any platform. Here, we present a comprehensive demonstration of the color code on a superconducting processor, achieving logical error suppression and performing logical operations. Scaling the code distance from three to five suppresses logical errors by a factor of $\Lambda_{3/5}$ = 1.56(4). Simulations indicate this performance is below the threshold of the color code, and furthermore that the color code may be more efficient than the surface code with modest device improvements. Using logical randomized benchmarking, we find that transversal Clifford gates add an error of only 0.0027(3), which is substantially less than the error of an idling error correction cycle. We inject magic states, a key resource for universal computation, achieving fidelities exceeding 99% with post-selection (retaining about 75% of the data). Finally, we successfully teleport logical states between distance-three color codes using lattice surgery, with teleported state fidelities between 86.5(1)% and 90.7(1)%. This work establishes the color code as a compelling research direction to realize fault-tolerant quantum computation on superconducting processors in the near future.

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arXiv2024

Mitigating Losses of Superconducting Qubits Strongly Coupled to Defect Modes

The dominant contribution to the energy relaxation of state-of-the-art superconducting qubits is often attributed to their coupling to an ensemble of material defects which behave as two-level systems. These defects have varying microscopic characteristics which result in a large range of observable defect properties such as resonant frequencies, coherence times and coupling rates to qubits $g$. Here, we investigate strategies to mitigate losses to the family of defects that strongly couple to qubits ($g/2\pi\ge$ 0.5 MHz). Such strongly coupled defects are particularly detrimental to the coherence of qubits and to the fidelities of operations relying on frequency excursions, such as flux-activated two-qubit gates. To assess their impact, we perform swap spectroscopy on 92 frequency-tunable qubits and quantify the spectral density of these strongly coupled modes. We show that the frequency configuration of the defects is rearranged by warming up the sample to room temperature, whereas the total number of defects on a processor tends to remain constant. We then explore methods for fabricating qubits with a reduced number of strongly coupled defect modes by systematically measuring their spectral density for decreasing Josephson junction dimensions and for various surface cleaning methods. Our results provide insights into the properties of strongly coupled defect modes and show the benefits of minimizing Josephson junction dimensions to improve qubit properties.

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arXiv2023

Fast Flux-Activated Leakage Reduction for Superconducting Quantum Circuits

Quantum computers will require quantum error correction to reach the low error rates necessary for solving problems that surpass the capabilities of conventional computers. One of the dominant errors limiting the performance of quantum error correction codes across multiple technology platforms is leakage out of the computational subspace arising from the multi-level structure of qubit implementations. Here, we present a resource-efficient universal leakage reduction unit for superconducting qubits using parametric flux modulation. This operation removes leakage down to our measurement accuracy of $7\cdot 10^{-4}$ in approximately $50\, \mathrm{ns}$ with a low error of $2.5(1)\cdot 10^{-3}$ on the computational subspace, thereby reaching durations and fidelities comparable to those of single-qubit gates. We demonstrate that using the leakage reduction unit in repeated weight-two stabilizer measurements reduces the total number of detected errors in a scalable fashion to close to what can be achieved using leakage-rejection methods which do not scale. Our approach does neither require additional control electronics nor on-chip components and is applicable to both auxiliary and data qubits. These benefits make our method particularly attractive for mitigating leakage in large-scale quantum error correction circuits, a crucial requirement for the practical implementation of fault-tolerant quantum computation.

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arXiv2023

Enhancing Dispersive Readout of Superconducting Qubits Through Dynamic Control of the Dispersive Shift: Experiment and Theory

The performance of a wide range of quantum computing algorithms and protocols depends critically on the fidelity and speed of the employed qubit readout. Examples include gate sequences benefiting from mid-circuit, real-time, measurement-based feedback, such as qubit initialization, entanglement generation, teleportation, and perhaps most importantly, quantum error correction. A prominent and widely-used readout approach is based on the dispersive interaction of a superconducting qubit strongly coupled to a large-bandwidth readout resonator, frequently combined with a dedicated or shared Purcell filter protecting qubits from decay. By dynamically reducing the qubit-resonator detuning and thus increasing the dispersive shift, we demonstrate a beyond-state-of-the-art two-state-readout error of only $0.25\,\%$ in 100 ns integration time. Maintaining low readout-drive strength, we nearly quadruple the signal-to-noise ratio of the readout by doubling the readout mode linewidth, which we quantify by considering the hybridization of the readout-resonator and its dedicated Purcell-filter. We find excellent agreement between our experimental data and our theoretical model. The presented results are expected to further boost the performance of new and existing algorithms and protocols critically depending on high-fidelity, fast, mid-circuit measurements.

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arXiv2022

Calibration of Drive Non-Linearity for Arbitrary-Angle Single-Qubit Gates Using Error Amplification

The ability to execute high-fidelity operations is crucial to scaling up quantum devices to large numbers of qubits. However, signal distortions originating from non-linear components in the control lines can limit the performance of single-qubit gates. In this work, we use a measurement based on error amplification to characterize and correct the small single-qubit rotation errors originating from the non-linear scaling of the qubit drive rate with the amplitude of the programmed pulse. With our hardware, and for a 15-ns pulse, the rotation angles deviate by up to several degrees from a linear model. Using purity benchmarking, we find that control errors reach $2\times 10^{-4}$, which accounts for half of the total gate error. Using cross-entropy benchmarking, we demonstrate arbitrary-angle single-qubit gates with coherence-limited errors of $2\times 10^{-4}$ and leakage below $6\times 10^{-5}$. While the exact magnitude of these errors is specific to our setup, the presented method is applicable to any source of non-linearity. Our work shows that the non-linearity of qubit drive line components imposes a limit on the fidelity of single-qubit gates, independent of improvements in coherence times, circuit design, or leakage mitigation when not corrected for.

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arXiv2022

Intermodulation Distortion in a Josephson Traveling Wave Parametric Amplifier

Josephson traveling wave parametric amplifiers enable the amplification of weak microwave signals close to the quantum limit with large bandwidth, which has a broad range of applications in superconducting quantum computing and in the operation of single-photon detectors. While the large bandwidth allows for their use in frequency-multiplexed detection architectures, an increased number of readout tones per amplifier puts more stringent requirements on the dynamic range to avoid saturation. Here, we characterize the undesired mixing processes between the different frequency-multiplexed tones applied to a Josephson traveling wave parametric amplifier, a phenomenon also known as intermodulation distortion. The effect becomes particularly significant when the amplifier is operated close to its saturation power. Furthermore, we demonstrate that intermodulation distortion can lead to significant crosstalk and reduction of fidelity for multiplexed readout of superconducting qubits. We suggest using large detunings between the pump and signal frequencies to mitigate crosstalk. Our work provides insights into the limitations of current Josephson traveling wave parametric amplifiers and highlights the importance of performing further research on these devices.

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arXiv2021

Realizing Repeated Quantum Error Correction in a Distance-Three Surface Code

Quantum computers hold the promise of solving computational problems which are intractable using conventional methods. For fault-tolerant operation quantum computers must correct errors occurring due to unavoidable decoherence and limited control accuracy. Here, we demonstrate quantum error correction using the surface code, which is known for its exceptionally high tolerance to errors. Using 17 physical qubits in a superconducting circuit we encode quantum information in a distance-three logical qubit building up on recent distance-two error detection experiments. In an error correction cycle taking only $1.1\,\mu$s, we demonstrate the preservation of four cardinal states of the logical qubit. Repeatedly executing the cycle, we measure and decode both bit- and phase-flip error syndromes using a minimum-weight perfect-matching algorithm in an error-model-free approach and apply corrections in postprocessing. We find a low error probability of $3\,\%$ per cycle when rejecting experimental runs in which leakage is detected. The measured characteristics of our device agree well with a numerical model. Our demonstration of repeated, fast and high-performance quantum error correction cycles, together with recent advances in ion traps, support our understanding that fault-tolerant quantum computation will be practically realizable.

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arXiv2021

Realizing Quantum Convolutional Neural Networks on a Superconducting Quantum Processor to Recognize Quantum Phases

Quantum computing crucially relies on the ability to efficiently characterize the quantum states output by quantum hardware. Conventional methods which probe these states through direct measurements and classically computed correlations become computationally expensive when increasing the system size. Quantum neural networks tailored to recognize specific features of quantum states by combining unitary operations, measurements and feedforward promise to require fewer measurements and to tolerate errors. Here, we realize a quantum convolutional neural network (QCNN) on a 7-qubit superconducting quantum processor to identify symmetry-protected topological (SPT) phases of a spin model characterized by a non-zero string order parameter. We benchmark the performance of the QCNN based on approximate ground states of a family of cluster-Ising Hamiltonians which we prepare using a hardware-efficient, low-depth state preparation circuit. We find that, despite being composed of finite-fidelity gates itself, the QCNN recognizes the topological phase with higher fidelity than direct measurements of the string order parameter for the prepared states.

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arXiv2020

Implementation of Conditional-Phase Gates based on tunable ZZ-Interactions

High fidelity two-qubit gates exhibiting low crosstalk are essential building blocks for gate-based quantum information processing. In superconducting circuits two-qubit gates are typically based either on RF-controlled interactions or on the in-situ tunability of qubit frequencies. Here, we present an alternative approach using a tunable cross-Kerr-type ZZ-interaction between two qubits, which we realize by a flux-tunable coupler element. We control the ZZ-coupling rate over three orders of magnitude to perform a rapid (38 ns), high-contrast, low leakage (0.14 %) conditional-phase CZ gate with a fidelity of 97.9 % without relying on the resonant interaction with a non-computational state. Furthermore, by exploiting the direct nature of the ZZ-coupling, we easily access the entire conditional-phase gate family by adjusting only a single control parameter.

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arXiv2020

Improving the Performance of Deep Quantum Optimization Algorithms with Continuous Gate Sets

Variational quantum algorithms are believed to be promising for solving computationally hard problems and are often comprised of repeated layers of quantum gates. An example thereof is the quantum approximate optimization algorithm (QAOA), an approach to solve combinatorial optimization problems on noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) systems. Gaining computational power from QAOA critically relies on the mitigation of errors during the execution of the algorithm, which for coherence-limited operations is achievable by reducing the gate count. Here, we demonstrate an improvement of up to a factor of 3 in algorithmic performance as measured by the success probability, by implementing a continuous hardware-efficient gate set using superconducting quantum circuits. This gate set allows us to perform the phase separation step in QAOA with a single physical gate for each pair of qubits instead of decomposing it into two C$Z$-gates and single-qubit gates. With this reduced number of physical gates, which scales with the number of layers employed in the algorithm, we experimentally investigate the circuit-depth-dependent performance of QAOA applied to exact-cover problem instances mapped onto three and seven qubits, using up to a total of 399 operations and up to 9 layers. Our results demonstrate that the use of continuous gate sets may be a key component in extending the impact of near-term quantum computers.

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arXiv2019

Repeated Quantum Error Detection in a Surface Code

The realization of quantum error correction is an essential ingredient for reaching the full potential of fault-tolerant universal quantum computation. Using a range of different schemes, logical qubits can be redundantly encoded in a set of physical qubits. One such scalable approach is based on the surface code. Here we experimentally implement its smallest viable instance, capable of repeatedly detecting any single error using seven superconducting qubits, four data qubits and three ancilla qubits. Using high-fidelity ancilla-based stabilizer measurements we initialize the cardinal states of the encoded logical qubit with an average logical fidelity of 96.1%. We then repeatedly check for errors using the stabilizer readout and observe that the logical quantum state is preserved with a lifetime and coherence time longer than those of any of the constituent qubits when no errors are detected. Our demonstration of error detection with its resulting enhancement of the conditioned logical qubit coherence times in a 7-qubit surface code is an important step indicating a promising route towards the realization of quantum error correction in the surface code.

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