Magic-state cultivation reportedly cuts quantum-state preparation errors about 40-fold
PhysicsUnverifiedUpdated:
A reported experiment on Google’s Willow processor prepared highly reliable magic states—pre-prepared quantum states used for difficult operations—while accepting only about 8 percent of attempts in its most stringent runs.
Preparing magic states by discarding unsuitable attempts
According to ScienceAlert, Google researchers tested magic-state cultivation, which prepares and discards individual attempts rather than refining a batch of states. They also developed “kickback tomography” after measurement noise distorted earlier fidelity assessments. The team reportedly transferred a cultivated state into a larger quantum error-correcting code, though the larger code added errors.
The report describes conventional magic-state distillation as processing batches of imperfect states into fewer, more reliable ones. It provides no directly comparable overall resource measurement for the new method.
Google researchers reportedly demonstrated magic-state cultivation on a Willow quantum processor. The reported method reduced preparation errors by around 40-fold and produced states with fidelity of at least 99.99 percent.
Measurement noise and transfer into a larger code
Magic states are consumed when used and are needed for some difficult quantum operations. The reported result tests an alternative way to prepare them on quantum hardware, but its stringent settings discarded most attempts and the transfer to a larger code introduced additional errors.
Sources
- ScienceAlertGoogle's Quantum Computer Just Achieved a Major Breakthrough With 'Magic States'Read source →