Finite Blocklength Coding Solves CQ Channel Amplitude Noise
Finite Blocklength
Transmission is Reliable with Finite-Blocklength Quantum Coding Despite Amplitude Damping Errors
Reliable communication across noisy channels remains a challenge in information theory. New classical-quantum (CQ) communication systems have directly addressed this issue, proving that sophisticated coding techniques are needed to reliably transport classical data over weak quantum channels. Tamás Havas, Hsuan-Yin Lin, and Eirik Rosnes from Simula UiB studied coding techniques for channels with amplitude damping errors, a common signal degradation source.
This study is crucial since it covers real-world situations with confined message lengths and focusses on finite blocklengths. Large blocklengths are not possible in the near-term noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) era due to resource constraints. Finite blocklength analysis helps define the upper bounds of quantum resources for classical communication and suggests ways to create new codes that employ them to improve performance. This breakthrough allows the construction of robust quantum communication networks that can send data over defective links.
Classical Quantum Channel Communication Over Noise
CQ channel coding involves encoding classical messages into quantum states (qubits), sending them through a noisy quantum channel, and measuring them at the receiver to decode them. The communication pathway is simulated using a noisy quantum channel following a noiseless encoding map.
The group studied the amplitude-damping channel (ADC), which simulates photon loss with a damping value and Kraus operators. To test coding approaches, researchers built codeword sequences of quantum states that mimicked classical communications and exposed them to the noisy channel. Codes are defined by codewords, length, or channel usage.
Crucially, the study compared two receiver-side decoding methods:
Independent Measurements: Measurements on each output quantum state. This simpler technique induces a classical discrete memoryless (DM) channel.
Collective Measurements: This more complicated method measures the entire ensemble of output states at once, resulting in a classical channel that is harder to characterise.
The Need for Quantum Gain Encoding
Conclusion: Complex collective assessments do not help uncoded transmission. When uncoded transmission is utilised, optimal collective measurement yields the same average success probability as optimal individual measurements on output states at blocklength. Theorem 2 states that the receiver does not need to collectively measure to improve uncoded ADC transmission performance.
To take advantage of collective quantum measurements, messages must be encoded using a non-trivial coding spanning numerous channel utilisation.
Advanced encoding methods that combine carefully selected quantum input states with classical error-correcting codes highlight the quantum advantage. Numerical studies indicate that collective measurement consistently outperforms individual measurement in finite-blocklength environments. Collective measurement captures quantum correlations in the input signal, improving decoding accuracy.
The striking example of sending four messages across three channels using a single parity-check (SPC) code.
Fundamental scheme (individual measurements) induces an effective classical Binary Symmetric Channel (BSC) with crossover probability epsilon.
Enhanced collective measurement produced an induced Quaternary Symmetric Channel (QSC).
The numerical comparison showed that the optimal collective measurement-based enhanced system outperformed the best individual measurement-based scheme across all damping parameters.
Capability and Ideal
The study also examined communication boundaries theoretically. The highest quantum channel transmission rate depends on its classical capacity. Lower constraints include Holevo capacity. The qubit ADC's classical capacity is unknown.
The study found that optimal input states for a single-use ADC that maximise average success probability differ from those that reach Holevo capacity. The performance is suboptimal for optimising success with capacity-achieving states.
Future Views
Because full collective assessments are computationally intensive, the researchers advocate hybrid approach study. These methods would combine individual measurements over the induced channel with collective measurements on partial channel outputs to reduce computational complexity and maintain performance in the finite-blocklength domain.
Future study will examine performance across quantum channels like the quantum symmetric channel for 6G wireless communication systems. The results show that classical coding and quantum measurement must operate together for reliable quantum communication.