Scalable simulation of surface-code quantum error correction with coherent noise

Scalable simulation of surface-code quantum error correction with coherent noise | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Scalable simulation of surface-code quantum error correction with coherent noise Valentine Nyirahafashimana, Nurisya Mohd Shah, Joseph Ntahompagaze This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8897316/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 5 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Quantum error correction (QEC) is essential for scalable quantum computing, but its realistic evaluation is hindered by the difficulty of simulating coherent noise in large codes. We propose a unified framework for the rotated surface code that integrates a qubit-reduction strategy preserving error dynamics, a coherent noise model with spatial and temporal correlations, and an effective error model validated through simulations up to d=7. GPU-accelerated simulations using QULACS show that coherent errors in the d=5 code predominantly interfere destructively, reducing their effective impact by about 13%. Based on these results, we establish conditions for break-even QEC, requiring a gate-time-to-coherence-time ratio below 0.005–0.007. Our findings indicate that current superconducting platforms operate close to this regime, with residual coupling-induced coherent errors as the main limitation, and provide a practical tool for optimizing surface-code QEC. Quantum error correction rotated surface codes coherent noise models quantum computing Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Reviewers invited by journal 02 Mar, 2026 Editor invited by journal 01 Mar, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 26 Feb, 2026 Submission checks completed at journal 25 Feb, 2026 First submitted to journal 25 Feb, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8897316","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":600801114,"identity":"4950f410-f290-454a-bfdc-5b7a9e0cd668","order_by":0,"name":"Valentine Nyirahafashimana","email":"data:image/png;base64,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","orcid":"","institution":"Universiti Putra Malaysia","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Valentine","middleName":"","lastName":"Nyirahafashimana","suffix":""},{"id":600801115,"identity":"4c369e96-2c4f-483b-843f-83fd460e10cb","order_by":1,"name":"Nurisya Mohd Shah","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Universiti Putra Malaysia","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Nurisya","middleName":"Mohd","lastName":"Shah","suffix":""},{"id":600801116,"identity":"7be2a57f-f93c-4cc8-b83a-480ed3b8b51a","order_by":2,"name":"Joseph Ntahompagaze","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"College of Science and Technology, University of Rwanda","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Joseph","middleName":"","lastName":"Ntahompagaze","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-02-17 04:08:22","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8897316/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8897316/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":104402618,"identity":"01cf9d38-be7f-44e0-afe7-fec7a314a9ef","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-03-11 12:15:55","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":3014191,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"RotationQECrevised1.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8897316/v1_covered_fbbe71de-9ea5-4395-922c-d5f196f4b050.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Scalable simulation of surface-code quantum error correction with coherent noise","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"discover-quantum-science","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"Learn more about [Discover Quantum Science](https://link.springer.com/journal/44464)","snPcode":"44464","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/44464/3","title":"Discover Quantum Science","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Open","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Quantum error correction, rotated surface codes, coherent noise models, quantum computing","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8897316/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8897316/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eQuantum error correction (QEC) is essential for scalable quantum computing, but its realistic evaluation is hindered by the difficulty of simulating coherent noise in large codes. 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