Improved Quantum Metrology Using Quantum Error Correction

TLDR

Quantum metrology in noisy environments is limited by decoherence, which restricts the precision advantage of entanglement. The authors aim to demonstrate that quantum error correction can overcome this limitation. They illustrate this in two settings: a many‑body Hamiltonian subject to single‑qubit dephasing or depolarizing noise, and a single‑body Hamiltonian with transversal noise. In both scenarios, Heisenberg scaling is preserved, and for frequency estimation error correction can yield a finite optimal interrogation time even asymptotically.

Abstract

We consider quantum metrology in noisy environments, where the effect of noise and decoherence limits the achievable gain in precision by quantum entanglement. We show that by using tools from quantum error correction this limitation can be overcome. This is demonstrated in two scenarios, including a many-body Hamiltonian with single-qubit dephasing or depolarizing noise and a single-body Hamiltonian with transversal noise. In both cases, we show that Heisenberg scaling, and hence a quadratic improvement over the classical case, can be retained. Moreover, for the case of frequency estimation we find that the inclusion of error correction allows, in certain instances, for a finite optimal interrogation time even in the asymptotic limit.