Unbiased observable estimation with approximate channels in fault-tolerant quantum computation

Unitary errors, such as those arising from fault-tolerant (FT) compilation of quantum algorithms, systematically bias observable estimates. Correcting this bias typically requires additional resources, such as an increased number of non-Clifford gates. In this work, we present an alternative method for correcting bias in the expectation values of observables. The method leverages a decomposition of the ideal quantum channel into a probabilistic mixture of noisy quantum channels. Using this decomposition, we construct unbiased estimators as weighted sums of expectation values obtained from the noisy channels. We provide a detailed analysis of the method, identify the conditions under which it is effective, and validate its performance through numerical simulations. In particular, we demonstrate unbiased observable estimation in the presence of unitary errors by simulating the time dynamics of the Ising Hamiltonian. Our strategy offers a resource-efficient way to reduce the impact of unitary errors, improving methods for estimating observables in noisy near-term quantum devices and FT implementation of quantum algorithms.

Duke Scholars

Author Kenneth R Brown Electrical and Computer Engineering