Introduction to quantum error correction with stabilizer codes
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Abstract
We give an introduction to the theory of quantum error correction using stabilizer codes that is geared towards the working computer scientists and mathematicians with an interest in exploring this area. To this end, we begin with an introduction to basic quantum computation for the uninitiated. We then construct several examples of simple error correcting codes without reference to the underlying mathematical formalism in order to develop the readers intuition for the structure of a generic code. With this in hand, we then discuss the more general theory of stabilizer codes and provide the necessary level of mathematical detail for the non-mathematician. Finally, we give a brief look at the elegant homological algebra formulation for topological codes. As a bonus, we give implementations of the codes we mention using OpenQASM, and we address the more recent approaches to decoding using neural networks. We do not attempt to give a complete overview of the entire field, but provide the reader with the level of detail needed to continue in this direction.