Fault-tolerant quantum error correction code conversion

TL;DR

This paper presents a fault-tolerant method to convert quantum error correction codes from a five-qubit code to a seven-qubit Steane code, ensuring continuous protection of the encoded qubit.

Contribution

It introduces an optimal, fault-tolerant code conversion process between two quantum error correction codes, maintaining error protection throughout.

Findings

Conversion method is fault-tolerant and preserves encoded qubit integrity.

The proposed code conversion process is computationally verified as optimal.

Enables reliable code switching in quantum error correction systems.

Abstract

In this paper we demonstrate how data encoded in a five-qubit quantum error correction code can be converted, fault-tolerantly, into a seven-qubit Steane code. This is achieved by progressing through a series of codes, each of which fault-tolerantly corrects at least one error. Throughout the conversion the encoded qubit remains protected. We found, through computational search, that the method used to convert between codes given in this paper is optimal.