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Iterative decoders for finite length quantum low-density parity-check (QLDPC) codes are attractive because their hardware complexity scales only linearly with the number of physical qubits. However, they are impacted by short cycles, detrimental graphical configurations known as trapping sets (TSs) present in a code graph as well as symmetric degeneracy of errors. These factors significantly degrade the decoder decoding probability performance and cause so-called error floor. In this paper, we establish a systematic methodology by which one can identify and classify quantum trapping sets (QTSs) according to their topological structure and decoder used. The conventional definition of a TS from classical error correction is generalized to address the syndrome decoding scenario for QLDPC codes. We show that the knowledge of QTSs can be used to design better QLDPC codes and decoders. Frame error rate improvements of two orders of magnitude in the error floor regime are demonstrated for some practical finite-length QLDPC codes without requiring any post-processing.
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This content will become publicly available on August 18, 2026
Quantum LDPC Codes with Enhanced Error-Floor Performance under Min-Sum Decoding
Quantum low-density parity-check codes are a promising approach to fault-tolerant quantum computation, offering potential advantages in rate and decoding efficiency. Quantum Margulis codes are a new class of QLDPC codes derived from Margulis’ classical LDPC construction via the two-block group algebra framework. We show that quantum Margulis codes, unlike bivariate bicycle codes, which require ordered statistics decoding for effective error correction, can be efficiently decoded using a standard min-sum decoder with linear complexity, when decoded under depolarizing noise. This is attributed to their Tanner graph structure, which does not exhibit group symmetry, thereby mitigating the well-known problem of error degeneracy in QLDPC decoding. To further enhance performance, we propose an algorithm for constructing 2BGA codes with controlled girth, ensuring a minimum girth of 6 or 8, and use it to generate several quantum Margulis codes of length 240 and 642. We validate our approach through numerical simulations, demonstrating that quantum Margulis codes behave significantly better than BB codes in the error floor region, under min-sum decoding.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2420424
- PAR ID:
- 10645536
- Publisher / Repository:
- IEEE
- Date Published:
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 1 to 5
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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