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Improved quantum processor logical error rates via correction and detection
A Paetznick1, B W Reichardt1, M P da Silva1
1Microsoft Quantum, Redmond, WA, USA.
Nature
|June 10, 2026
Summary
Researchers demonstrated significant improvements in quantum error correction, reducing logical error rates by up to 800x on a trapped-ion quantum computer. This advancement is crucial for fault-tolerant quantum computation in physics and chemistry.
Area of Science:
- Quantum Computing
- Quantum Information Science
- Error Correction
Background:
- Performing complex quantum algorithms requires significantly lower error rates than current quantum computers achieve.
- Achieving low logical error rates necessitates quantum error correction and physical error rates below a critical threshold.
Purpose of the Study:
- To experimentally demonstrate improvements in logical error rates using quantum error correction on a trapped-ion quantum computer.
- To showcase the effectiveness of optimized quantum error correction codes for ion-trap processors.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a trapped-ion quantum charge-coupled device (QCCD) architecture.
- Implemented two optimized quantum error correction codes: a 12-qubit code and a 16-qubit tesseract colour code.
- Employed a scalable method for error detection and post-selection.
Main Results:
- Achieved logical error rate improvements ranging from 11× to 800× compared to physical circuit baselines.
- Demonstrated successful suppression of errors in non-trivial quantum circuit computations.
- Showcased the practical application of fault tolerance in current quantum devices.
Conclusions:
- State-of-the-art quantum devices can leverage fault tolerance and error correction to significantly reduce errors.
- Optimized quantum error correction codes and techniques are effective in improving logical error rates.
- Experimental validation paves the way for more reliable quantum computation in critical applications.
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