Cat-Qubit Resonator Layout for Fault-Tolerant Logical Qubits

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing quantum computing architectures face challenges in scaling to a useful amount of logical qubits due to difficulties in inter-connecting data and ancilla qubits without radiation or mode interactions, leading to vulnerability and inflexible functionality.

Innovation Solution

A quantum system with a superconducting quantum circuit design featuring alternating data and ancilla resonators in non-crossing lines, connected in a way that allows robust and flexible operation, enabling long-lived logical qubits, entangling gates, and fault-tolerant quantum computing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a quantum circuit is designed with high connectivity between data and ancilla qubits to enable flexible logical operations, then functional flexibility is improved, but the risk of radiation or mode interactions between resonators increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefunctional flexibilityVSAvoidradiation or mode interactions
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The quantum circuit is segmented into multiple lines of alternating data and ancilla resonators, where each line operates semi-independently. This segmentation reduces the overall connectivity requirements while maintaining the ability to perform logical operations within each line, thereby reducing radiation or mode interactions between resonators across the entire circuit.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Ancilla resonators serve as intermediaries between data resonators, enabling logical operations to be performed indirectly. Instead of requiring direct connections between all data resonators, the ancilla resonators mediate the interactions, reducing the number of direct connections needed and thereby reducing radiation or mode interactions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If a quantum circuit is designed with low connectivity between resonators to reduce radiation or mode interactions, then harmful factors are reduced, but the ability to perform logical operations and connect data and ancilla qubits is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveradiation or mode interactionsVSAvoidfunctional flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The circuit architecture transitions from a two-dimensional grid to a one-dimensional linear arrangement of alternating data and ancilla resonators. This dimensional reduction simplifies the connectivity requirements while maintaining functional flexibility through the sequential arrangement and controlled interactions within each line.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The system employs dynamic control of resonator interactions through conditional coupling mechanisms. Connections between data and ancilla resonators are activated only when needed for specific logical operations, allowing the circuit to maintain low static connectivity while achieving high dynamic functional flexibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Device complexity

If a single failure in connection occurs in a rigidly defined data-ancilla-data array, then the structure remains simple, but the length of the array available to host a repetition code is reduced by up to a half

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural simplicityVSAvoidrepetition code availability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The quantum circuit employs dynamic reconfiguration capabilities that allow the system to adapt its connectivity topology in response to failures. When a connection fails, the system can dynamically reroute logical operations through alternative paths within the same line or between adjacent lines, maintaining repetition code functionality without requiring complex pre-planned redundancy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system designs each line with more resonators than the minimum required for a single repetition code. This excess capacity allows the system to tolerate connection failures while still maintaining sufficient resonators to host complete repetition codes, thereby improving reliability without significantly increasing structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

4Adaptability or versatility

If complete nearest-neighbor connectivity is provided between all cat qubits to maximize functional flexibility, then adaptability is improved, but the number of connections and frequency crowding problems increase to the maximum

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefunctional flexibilityVSAvoidnumber of connections
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The quantum circuit is divided into multiple independent lines, each containing a sequence of alternating data and ancilla resonators. This segmentation reduces the overall connectivity requirements by limiting interactions to within each line and between adjacent lines, rather than requiring complete connectivity across all qubits, thereby reducing the total number of connections while maintaining functional flexibility within each segment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The architecture transitions from a two-dimensional grid with nearest-neighbor connectivity to a one-dimensional linear arrangement. This dimensional change reduces the coordination number of each resonator from 4 (in a 2D grid) to 2 (in a 1D line), significantly reducing the total number of connections required while preserving the essential quantum operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The design achieves a balance between reducing connection failures and maintaining functional flexibility, supporting high-reliability logical operations and error correction codes, including repetition and LDPC codes, even with qubit failures.

Implementation Method 1

a command circuit for selectively applying radiation

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRadiation: Radiation

Implementation Method 2

each data resonator being coupled to said command circuit for stabilizing a respective data cat qubit

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectResonance: Resonance

Data Source

PatentEP4685711A1Quantum system for hosting logical qubits protected by an error correcting code
Publication Date: 2026.01.28 ALICE & BOB
  • EP4685711A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4685711A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4685711A1 patent drawingFigure 5~7

AI summary

A quantum system for hosting logical qubits protected by an error correcting code comprises: * a command circuit (4) for selectively applying radiation, * a superconducting quantum circuit (6) comprising - a plurality of data resonators (8), each data resonator (8) being coupled to said command circuit (4) for stabilizing a respective data cat qubit, - a plurality of ancilla resonators (10), each ancilla resonator being coupled to said command circuit (4) for stabilizing a respective ancilla qubit, - the data resonators (8) and the ancilla resonators (10) are arranged on said superconducting quantum circuit into lines (12) comprising alternating data resonators and ancilla resonators, - the lines not crossing one another and defining a first end line and a second end line, - each data resonator and each ancilla resonator (10) of a line being connected to its immediate neighbors within its line, and - for all but the second end line, the ancilla resonators are connected to a data resonator of an adjacent line in the direction going from the first end line to the second end line, such that all ancilla resonators are connected to at least two and at most to three data resonators, the command circuit (4) being further arranged to operate a quantum gate between two data cat qubits connected by an ancilla qubit only using operations involving two or three resonators chosen among the group comprising said the data resonators hosting the data qubits and the ancilla resonator, with the data resonators being always involved.